


Rascals

by roeskva



Series: The Rascals Series [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Kid Fic, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-06
Updated: 2011-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-14 11:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 28,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/148958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roeskva/pseuds/roeskva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Tok'ra and the Tau'ri are on a joint archaeological mission. What happens when Daniel activates an alien device? Can the effects be undone?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS: Up to mid-season 7 or there about. Before Lost City I&II  
> NOTES: As canon, except all the Tok'ra are just fine! I got inspired by the Star Trek: TNG episode 'Rascals' to write this! Some OOC'ness and a little cracky at times.  
> NOTES 2: This story was originally written as an advent calendar (2010) and there are thus 24 chapters, some relatively short.

"So, have you figured out what it says?" O'Neill said, as he entered the room.

"No, but we've made some progress." Daniel answered, not looking away from the inscriptions beside the locked door.

"Unfortunately, this dialect of Goa'uld really is very obscure, and there are several words I simply do not know." Lantash admitted, looking displeased.

He and Martouf were helping SG-1 translate some old Goa'uld writings that had been found in the ancient ruins of an unknown, but obviously very advanced, civilization.

The inscriptions they were currently trying to decipher, had clearly been added later. They were found just beside a locked door, which they had as yet been unable to open. Hopefully, the inscriptions would tell them how to open the door, since it was also a more recent addition.

They had found schematics in one of the other rooms, which seemed to imply the closed-off room was a laboratory. Not only that, but it should contain _some_ sort of large device, that was labeled as 'vital to the survival of our race', by the people who had once lived here.

Naturally, SG-1 and the Tok'ra hoped it was a weapon that would aid them in their fight against the Goa'uld. Which meant they needed to get the door open!

The fact that the inscriptions beside the door was written in an obscure Goa'uld dialect, would seem to indicate a Goa'uld had once found the laboratory. For reasons unknown, he or she had decided not to use whatever it was that was in there - and had even choosen to seal the room.

Perhaps the Goa'uld had not been able to figure out how to use the technology, and had not wanted to risk others taking advantage of it instead?

In any case, a decision had been made by the SGC to open the door and examine what the contents of the room behind it.

Daniel and Teal'c had made no real progress on the inscriptions, and they had been unable to open the door. Thus, the Tok'ra had been contacted, and asked to send someone to assist with the translations. They had agreed, in return for a share of whatever was found. Since Freya/Anise were not available right now - and since all Tok'ra would normally be able to translate most Goa'uld writings - Martouf/Lantash had been sent.

\-----  
"I was told you'd be able to help us?" O'Neill said, sounding somewhat sarcastic.

"Normally, I _would_ be able to translate... _almost_...any Goa'uld texts. However, as I just said, this _is_ a very obscure dialect. Very old and very different from the main dialects...."

"Ah, well....we'll just ask someone else. Someone with more _knowledge_..." He baited the Tok'ra.

"Actually, he has _already_ helped us. We've gotten _some_ of it translated." Sam said, defending Lantash.

"But not all...?" O'Neill continued.

Lantash looked annoyed.

"Most Tok'ra would know roughly the same Goa'uld dialects. There are several which are widely used, and these are in the genetic memory we all received from Egeria. To find someone who might translate this, you will either have to wait for Freya and Anise, who have studied some of the more obscure dialects...or, you need the assistance of one of those Tok'ra who were not born by Egeria. If you are lucky, one of those may be able to translate this."

"Garshaw, perhaps?" Sam suggested.

Lantash nodded slowly. "Perhaps..." 

\-----  
Luckily, it turned out Garshaw was happy to go on a mission for once, instead of spending most of her time on politics and meetings. She agreed quickly, and a few days later they were again back among the ruins.

Martouf/Lantash accompanied Garshaw as her guard, since the council did not really like her going on missions like this. She _was_ , after all, the most hunted _Tok'ra_ of all times. They only allowed it since the planet they were going to was uninhabited and had been so for a very long time.

"So, Garshaw...I thought all Tok'ra had the same genetic memory? How come you think you know this dialect? Or have you perhaps studied ancient Goa'uld in your spare-time?" O'Neill smirked.

She sighed. "Your sarcasm is unnecessary, but you are correct. I was not originally Tok'ra. I was born a Goa'uld. It is not something I am proud of, but it was a long time ago, and I am as loyal a Tok'ra as anyone. I hope the Goa'uld knowledge I have, will help make up for my past."

O'Neill looked a little shameful at her complete honesty about her past. He mumbled something that might have been an apology, before he left to keep guard outside the building, together with Teal'c.

While it was very unlikely anyone would come through the Stargate, he felt it was always better to be safe than sorry. The ruins were close to the Stargate, so they would not have much time to react if someone hostile arrived through it.

Meanwhile, the others went to work on the translations.

Garshaw took a quick look at the inscriptions and found she could easily read them. It did not take long for her to translate the entire text, which turned out to be a code, likely to open the door. There were also some cryptic instructions, which did not give Sam, Martouf, and Daniel any problems. They soon figured it out and unlocked the door. It swung open noiselessly, revealing a dark room behind it.

Curious - and a little apprehensive - all four of them entered.

The light came on as soon as the first of them stepped through the door, revealing a huge room. It was immediately obvious it _was_ some kind of laboratory, filled with alien looking machinery.

"Perhaps we should wait for the others before we examine the room further?" Martouf suggested, a little nervous. He felt his responsibility as guard for the grand councillor weigh heavily on him. 

"What's there to be afraid of? It's just old machines!" Daniel said, as he set out to examine the laboratory.

Sam shrugged and followed him, while Martouf threw Garshaw a worried look, then took a few steps further in.

"Do not be concerned. I shall just sit here and wait to see if I am needed." Garshaw said. "I do not much care for old laboratory equipment anyway." She smiled wryly. "Go and help them. Perhaps there is something that could be of use to the Tok'ra."

Martouf nodded. "I will."

He joined Sam and Daniel, and soon they were completely absorbed examining everything.

Eventurally, their interest focused on a large piece of machinery located in the very center of the room. Cables and wires running along the roof connected it to many of the smaller devices lining the walls. Whatever it was in here that the ancient aliens had considered vital to the survival of their race, this would be it.

"I have _no_ idea what that is!" Sam said, looking at the odd machine.

It was _huge_ and aside from the cables leading out from it, it also had lots of antennas and what looked like ceramic insulators sticking out from it. Two dishes, much like satellite dishes, sat on the top.

"Perhaps it's for communication?" Martouf suggested.

"Guys...I think I've found the control panel..." Daniel said, looking intently at something that was obviously a console.

"Wait! Don't touch anything!" Martouf exclaimed, suddenly spotting a sign written in Goa'uld.

"What does it say?" Sam wondered, seeing the same thing.

"Kree ta'tall...it loosely means 'Forbidden to touch. Danger!'"

"I don't think I did anything." Daniel said as he walked back towards the others. "I only touched..."

The faint, humming sound that Martouf thought he had noticed a few moments ago, were now growing stronger.

"Oops..." Daniel looked worried.

"Daniel! What did you..." Sam began, sounding exasperated.

"Not now. Get _out_!" Lantash exclaimed, having taken over from Martouf since he ran and reacted faster.

They all began to run, but before they got more than a few steps, an intense flash lit up the room, followed by a sound as if from thunder. They all collapsed to the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

"Did you hear that?" O'Neill said.

"Yes. It started as a loud humming noise, but that has stopped now." Teal'c confirmed. He looked decidedly worried.

"It came from where Daniel and the others are working!" O'Neill was now alarmed.

He and Teal'c looked at each other for a moment, then they both began to run towards the building.

They hurried through the corridors and to the room that was connected to the laboraory. Carefully, and with weapons drawn, they peeked inside. The room was empty.

"Are you all right, guys?" O'Neill yelled.

No one answered. Worried, they entered, immediately seeing the opened door to the laboratory.

" _Damn_! Why didn't they tell us they figured out how to open it? Instead they just went exploring! With 4... _6_ of them, if you're counting the snakes, one would think _one_ of'em had enough common sense to inform us!" O'Neill grumbled, irritated. His annoyance only lasted moments before his worry took over again.

Teal'c entered the laboratory first and carefully looked around. The room was fairly large. Along the walls were desks and control pults, as well as shelves. In the middle of the room stood a large, ominous looking device.

"Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, and the Tok'ra are not here." Teal'c said. "However, I do see someone."

He walked towards the nearest of the four prone figures. Frowning, as he leaned down to get a closer look at it.

It was a little dark-haired girl, no more than 5 or 6 years old. She was wearing a _much_ too large, blue dress.

Teal'c checked her pulse. "She is alive."

"Good..." O'Neill just gaped at it all for several moments, then collected himself and went to check on the nearest of the other unconscious forms in the room. "This one is alive as well."

Teal'c had gone to the two that was further away. "As are these two. O'Neill, from the clothing, I would gather..."

"I don't want to hear it!"

"It does seem unfathomable, however, the most likely explanation is that these are indeed Daniel Jackson, Major Carter, and the Tok'ra Martouf and Garshaw." Teal'c said, ignoring O'Neill's exclamation.

"No one else is here... They _are_ wearing clothing similar to what _they_ wore...and it's much too large." O'Neill shook his head. "I don't know _what_ to believe. However, they're still unconscious, so I think we'd better get them back to base and have Doctor Fraiser take a look at them."

They carefully carried the still unconscious children to the Stargate, and dialed Earth.

\-----  
"Well?" O'Neill worriedly asked Janet.

He and Teal'c were waiting in the infirmary, while Janet finished the examinations.

They are still unconscious, but except for that, I can find nothing wrong with these children. They seem to be fully healthy, so I'm assuming the unconsciousness is a temporary side effect of whatever did this." Janet shook her head, still not believing it. "I _can_ confirm their identities. The DNA matches. They really _are_ Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Martouf/Lantash, and Yosuuf/Garshaw."

O'Neill sighed deeply. He did not know if he had hoped they were someone else - and his people still missing - or preferred they had been turned into children.

"Can you reverse the effect?"

"I have no idea. I didn't even think something like this was possible!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." O'Neill sat down, heavily.

"Can you determine when they will wake up?" Teal'c said.

"No, but as I said, there's no reason I can find for them to be unconscious. They should wake up at any time." Janet frowned, then remembered something. "One other thing. I gave them all an MRI, to check they hadn't hit their heads when they fell. That alien machine didn't just affect the humans. The symbiotes are younger too. Children. About two, I'd say."

"That would be the equivalent of a six year old human child." Teal'c said.

"The thing turned the snakes into...eh...snakelets? Why would anyone want to build a machine that did something like _that_?"

Janet shrugged. "It's an alien device, probably not meant to work on either humans or symbiotes. I guess it makes sense it would reverse any life form to a corresponding age. That is, as much as something like this makes _any_ sense."

"O'Neill. I believe Martouf is waking up." Teal'c observed.

"Maybe we can finally get some answers, then!"

He walked over to the child, who by now was sitting up in the bed and looking around with a puzzled expression. His hair was a lighter blond colour than that of the adult version, and his face was more rounded. However, he still looked like Martouf, and the same blue-grey eyes looked curiously at the adults as they approached. Since all his clothing had become very much too large, he now only wore his shirt. It, too, was quite big on him, and hung loosely around him.

"Martouf, do you remember what happened?" Janet asked.

He looked at her, with a wide-eyed expression, then shook his head.

"You mean you've got _no_ idea why you're all kids? Did any of you touch something you shouldn't have?" O'Neill sounded angry.

Martouf just shook his head again, looking scared now.

"Wait, Colonel..." Janet said, suddenly realising something. "Martouf, do you remember anything? Do you know who you are?" She smiled kindly at the little boy.

He nodded. "Yes, I am Martouf."

"You're not Martouf. You're Lantash!" O'Neill said, irritated.

"I am Martouf! You said so yourself!" He got a stubborn expression.

"Listen, sweetie. Martouf is your host. We just _thought_ you were him, but when we heard you speak, we realised you're Lantash."

"What's a host? And why does that man hate me?" Lantash pointed at O'Neill who groaned.

"He's...um...not angry at you." Janet sent O'Neill a warning look. "He's just frustrated because we don't know what's happened to you and your friends." She indicated the three other children. "Can you remember _anything_?"

He shook his head slowly, looking as if he was about to cry. "No."

Janet took a deep breath. "Okay. Don't worry about it. It's okay. My name is Doctor Janet Fraiser, but you can just call me Janet. That's Colonel Jack O'Neill, and that's Teal'c." She pointed at each of them.

Lantash nodded, then suddenly got a puzzled expression. "I don't know where this is."

"Um...you're...you're in a hospital." Janet said, deciding not to say anything about Stargate Command, since it might confuse the child. Now that she thought about it, so might a hospital, given that the child in question was a symbiote. "You're here because we need to figure out what's wrong with you."

Lantash continued looking around the room. "Where _are_ you?" He sounded a little annoyed. " _Inside_? How can you be _inside_ me? That does not make sense!"

"Uhoh..." Janet looked at O'Neill and Teal'c. "I think Martouf is awake and talking to him..."

"And he has _no_ idea they're in the same body - or how. What a _mess_!" O'Neill suddenly looked very tired.

"Lantash, can we speak with Martouf? He's the one...uh...talking inside your head."

"Yes, of course you can. Why are you asking me?"

Janet took a deep breath and started explaining hosts and symbiotes to him.


	3. Chapter 3

"So...I am snake-like and with fins?" He gave her a very sceptical look. He lifted a hand and studied it carefully. He then proceeded to look at his legs and naked feet. "No, I'm _not_!"

"You're _inside_. That's _Marty's_ body you're looking at! Now let him out so we can talk to him!" O'Neill said, irritated.

"I don't understand!" Lantash exclaimed.

"Give. Martouf. Control! How hard can it be? Dammit!"

"Colonel..." Janet warned. "He's a little kid."

"He's a _snake_! He's just..."

Lantash suddenly started crying. "He hates me. O'Neill does." He sniffled. "I'm _not_ a snake and I don't know how to let Martouf talk to you!" He buried his face in the pillow and sobbed loudly.

Janet gave O'Neill a sharp look.

"Listen. I'm...I'm _sorry_..." O'Neill looked confused - but ashamed, realising he was acting on his dislike for the adult Lantash - and the Tok'ra and symbiotes in general. "I didn't mean to say the things I did. I'm just worried...about you and the others. Grown-ups...behave strangely then..."

Lantash looked up, still sniffling. "I _am_ trying to let Martouf...have...con-trol?" He looked like he concentrated intensely, his little face scrunching up from the effort. He closed his eyes and made fists with his hands.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at them, his expression clearly different. He unclenched his hands and looked around with a puzzled expression.

"It...worked? Lantash...he told me to, you know, just try and take over...and _that_ worked!" He smiled, triumphantly.

"Martouf?"

"Yes?! I...I think so...?"

"I though the host couldn't just grab control like that, unless the sn...symbiote let him?" O'Neill said.

"Lantash is much too young to be able to keep control against Martouf's will." Teal'c informed them. "Though since Martouf is a child as well, they probably have about the same level of control."

Janet nodded, then turned to Martouf. "I take it you don't remember anything either? Of what's happened, I mean."

"I...I'm not even sure who I am, except...you thought Lantash was someone called Martouf, so...so I must be...Martouf?" He rationalised.

"Very smart." Janet smiled at him and patted him on the head. "Yes, you are Martouf."

"Doctor Fraiser, O'Neill. Major Carter is waking up as well." Teal'c said.

"Coming." Janet raised the rails around Martouf's bed so he would not fall out. "I just need to go check on Sam. I'll be back with you in a moment, sweetie. Okay?"

Martouf nodded.

"Teal'c, keep an eye on him, will you?" O'Neill said as he followed Janet.

"Of course." Teal'c pulled up a chair and sat down beside the child.

Martouf looked at him, studying his face. Then his gaze focused on Teal'c's forehead.

"Why do you have a...gold thing... on your head?" He pointed.

Teal'c pondered this, uncertain what would be the best answer, but quickly realised he had to say _something_.

"It is...an indication of my former rank."

"So it means you are im-portant?"

"It did, yes. Fortunately I am no longer that person."

"How can you be someone else?"

"I am." Teal'c gave him a look which immediately made him stop asking about it.

\-----  
The little girl looked much like the adult version of her, but her face was more rounded, just like Martouf's. Like him, she also studied her surroundings with interest.

Janet smiled at her.

"Hi. Do you feel like talking to me for a little while?"

Sam looked at her, a little unsure. "Yes..."

"Can you tell me your name?"

Sam thought about that for some time. "No." She finally said, shaking her head.

"Okay. Your name is Samantha Carter - does that ring a bell?"

Sam wrinkled her brow, which made her look adorable. "I don't hear any bells."

Janet laughed, and O'Neill snorted.

"That's not what I meant, honey. Does your name _mean_ anything to you? Like, do you remember hearing it before?"

"Yes. You just said it to me." Sam looked puzzled.

"I think we can conclude she remembers no more than Martouf or Lantash." O'Neill said, tiredly.

"Why am I here? And who are you?"

"I'm Janet. That's Colonel Jack O'Neill, and the big man sitting over there is Teal'c."

Sam nodded. "Okay. Who's the boy?"

"His name is Martouf - and Lantash." Janet answered, suddenly realising this might be difficult to explain.

"They're...kinda two people in one body." O'Neill tried.

"Really? Cool!" Sam smiled widely. She waved at Martouf. "Hi, Martouf. Hi, Lantash! I am Samantha!"

Martouf sat up on his knees and leaned out over the rail, making Teal'c catch him quickly before he fell.

"Hello, Samantha!" He smiled, a little shyly, and waved back. Then his eyes flashed, indicating Lantash had control.

"Hello, Samantha!" He repeated.

Sam giggled. "That's soo great! How did you do that with the eyes? And your voice?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe O'Neill knows?"

Janet grinned and looked at O'Neill, who just groaned.


	4. Chapter 4

Not long after, first Daniel, then Yosuuf, and last Garshaw woke up. None of them remembered anything.

Since all of them had clothing that was much too large, they each got a t-shirt to wear instead. Even if it was the smallest size they had in the commisary, it was still long enough to be like a dress for them, which was good, since it was all they had to wear.

With everyone awake, Janet gave them another quick examination. She then went over to O'Neill and Teal'c, who were waiting eagerly to hear what she had found.

"Well, I can confirm what I found before - they're all perfectly healthy and normal - except they have no memories. I'm hoping - and expecting - that to be temporary." Janet said.

"That...and they're _kids_." O'Neill added, dryly. "Any ideas how to turn them into their adult versions again?"

"They are...and no, I don't."

"Perhaps now would be a good time to contact General Hammond?" Teal'c suggested.

O'Neill sighed. "Hammond won't be back on base for another 2 hours or so. No reason to call him and trouble him with it now. Perhaps...everything will somehow reverse itself before he's back? It could, couldn't it?" He looked hopeful.

"It's not likely. I'm sorry, sir, but any reversal is probably going to have to include the alien device that caused this - or time..."

"I don't want to hear that!" He frowned. "Listen, is there _any_ way this could've been caused by _Loki_? Could they be clones? Like that _other_ me?"

Janet shook her head. "I don't think so. If I understood it correctly, the laboratory did contain anything resembling Asgard technology at all. Also, we have not found adult versions of our people anywhere. Besides, it _would_ be a strange coincidence if an Asgard decided to go and abduct and clone them exactly while they're examining an alien device on another planet!"

"Yeah, there's that." O'Neill agreed.

"In any case, this isn't something that's going to be fixed quickly, and those kids can't walk around just wearing an over-sized t-shirt! Why don't you use the time until Hammond gets here to go some place and buy them some _temporary_ clothing?"

"I'll find someone to take care of that." O'Neill said, giving Teal'c a brief glance. He did _not_ want that job. Spotting an unlucky airman, he grabbed the man and ordered him off to get clothes for four kids, about 5-6 years of age.

\-----  
Janet was in her office, looking through the data she had collected. Meanwhile, she had allowed the children down on the floor to play, since they really were healthy. There was no one else in the infirmary. It was a slow day, and already late afternoon. Most had left for the day, and Janet had let the rest of them take a break.

O'Neill and Teal'c had left for the mess hall. It was early evening, and they were getting hungry. Janet probably expected them to stay and keep an eye on the children, but what could go wrong? Before they left, they made sure to get the kids assurances they would not create mischief while they were gone. Promising they would bring something back for them all to eat, O'Neill and Teal'c then left.

\-----  
"Hi! I'm Daniel." The boy said, smiling widely at the other children. He tried to make his much too large glasses stay on, then gave up. He did not really need them anymore - or yet. He put them on the bed.

"Hi, Daniel." Sam smiled at him, then turned to the other boy. "You're Martouf? Right?"

He nodded, happy she remembered. "Yes, and you're Samantha!"

"Sam-antha." Daniel repeated. "It's diffi-cult to say."

Sam giggled. "No, it's not!"

"You're two people - like me and Lantash?" Martouf asked the dark haired girl. She was being very shy and stood some distance away, not saying anything, but following their discussion with interest.

"Yes." She answered, in a low voice. "Two people. Me and Yosuuf."

"You talk funny - like Lantash!" Sam said. "I don't mean it in any bad way!" She quickly added, when both Martouf and Garshaw started to look unhappy. "I think it's cool!"

"Yeah, me too. I'd like to speak like that!" Daniel said, trying. It sounded really weird and they all giggled.

Martouf got a look of concentration for a moment, then his eyes glowed as Lantash took control.

They all greeted him. "Hi, Lantash!"

"Hello." He smiled at them. "Doesn't Yosuuf speak?"

"Yes, all the time." Garshaw said.

"He meant to us!" Daniel said, giving her a small push and giggling.

Garshaw blushed, then looked very focused. She finally figured out how to let Yosuuf have control. She smiled at them, even more shyly than Garshaw.

"Hi..."

Sam gave her a hug. "Hi! Don't be afraid!"  
   
When she stepped back, she had gotten an expression of deep thought on her face.

"Sam-antha. What's up?" Daniel demanded.

"I noticed something funny." Sam walked closer to Lantash.

"What?" He looked at his hands and down himself. "I am funny?"

"No, but you feel funny." She gave him a hug as well. "Yep! You do. You and Yosuuf." She walked over to Daniel and gave him a hug as well, just for good measure. "But not you!"

Lantash pondered this, taking a few steps towards Sam. "You're right. I feel...tingly? when I come closer to you too..." He stepped towards Yosuuf. "And you...but not Daniel." He walked further away, slowly, all the time looking very concentrated.

"What?" Sam demanded, when he returned to them, after circling them.

"You and Yosuuf feel...not the same. You're sort of more...spread out." He gave her a helpless look.

"OK, what's this thing you feel?" Daniel looked both puzzled and angry at being left out.

"Like...a humming? I don't know! But it's stronger near some people." Sam explained.

"Yes, humming or tingling." Lantash agreed.

"Everyone but me?" Daniel looked like he was about to cry.

"No..." Sam thought about it for a long time. "Colo-nel O-Neill didn't...I think."

"Janet didn't too." Yosuuf added.

"See? Just some people." Sam shrugged.

Daniel nodded. "Some people. OK." He still did not look completely happy.

They continued to talk for some time, getting to know each other. The Tok'ra tried to be fair and shifted back and forth between host and symbiote regularly, wanting each to have as much time in control as the other.

Both Daniel and Sam found it endlessly fascinating and were more than a little envious, both that they had such a close friend who was _always_ there, and of them being able to make their eyes glow and talk all funny.


	5. Chapter 5

"No one else but us here." Sam concluded, returning from checking in the other room.

"Doctor Janet is in her of-fice." Martouf said, pointing at the closed door at the end of the room.

"Let's go ex-plo-ring!" Daniel said, enthusiastically.

"Good idea." Garshaw agreed. She was less shy now, when she had gotten to know them a little. "I will look over here."

She started looking through the contents of a cart which held an assortment of odd things. She picked them up, one at a time, looking closely at them.

"Lots of weird stuff in here..." Daniel said, gazing at the shelves in the closet he had just opened. He stretched as much as he could and tried to reach a wire-rack full of test-tubes. "What do you think these are?" He pulled them out, almost dropping them, but at the last moment managed to steady the rack.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this..." Lantash said, cautiously. "Doctor Janet said not to touch stuff. So did O-Neill - and Teal'c! They'll get _angry_." He looked worried.

"We're not doing any harm - we're just looking." Sam said, putting on a much too large white coat she had pulled off a chair. Looking through the pockets, she found a stethoscope and put it on. "See? Now _I'm_ a doctor! Just like Janet!" She looked excited.

"Cool!" Daniel said, impressed. He lost interest in the rack of test tubes, and left them on the floor.

Lantash had gotten hold of a box of tongue depressors. He was curiously pulling them out of the box, studying them. "What are these, you think?"

"For checking your mouth! Didn't Doctor Janet do that to you?" Daniel said.

"Martouf says she did. I just didn't notice."

Sam grabbed a handful of them. "Then I'll do it. Open your mouth!"

He opened up obediently, dropping the rest of the packet on the floor. The tongue depressors scattered.

Yosuuf handed Sam a small flashlight. "Doctor used this."

Sam nodded. She turned it on and put the flash light in Lantash's mouth, while putting the tongue depressor in there too. Lantash made a gagging sound and she pulled both out.

"Looks OK to me." She concluded. "You should eat more ice cream." She added, hoping it sounded like something a doctor would say.

Lantash nodded, then looked unsure. "What is ice cream?"

"It's great! You'll love it!"

Meanwhile, Daniel had returned to examining the contents of the closets. He was currently pulling at some white cloth at the bottom of a tall pile, hoping it would be a doctor's coat like the one Sam had on. Garshaw decided to help him, and soon both of them were pulling hard.

Suddenly, they succeed. Immediately afterwards, the pile tipped and clean towels fell all over them.

Daniel and Garshaw both cried out and tried to get away from the falling cloths, as quickly as possible. In their haste, neither saw the cart with medical equipment standing behind them and it fell over with a loud crash, spilling everything from it, and breaking several things.

Janet came running into the room, alerted by the noise. "What is going _on_?!" She surveyed the place. Previously clean towels were spread over the floor. A cart had tipped over, and broken glasses, test tubes, and thermometers were scattered all over the floor around it. Sam stood a small distance away, wearing a laboratory coat and wielding a flash light, while Lantash was trying to pick tongue depressor up from the floor and put them back into a big box. Daniel and Garshaw stood beside the tipped over cart, looking guilty. Janet realised no one else, except the children were in the room. "Where is Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c?"

"They left." Sam offered.

"To get some cookies for us." Lantash added, wanting to defend them a little.

"They were supposed to watch you! I will make sure they remember next time! How did all this happen? I _told_ you not to touch anything!"

"I didn't mean to break the stuff." Daniel said, looking like he was close to tears. "I just wanted a coat like Sam has - and all this fell on me!"

"We're sorry!" Garshaw added, looking scared. Sam and Lantash quickly repeated how sorry they were. Then Lantash gave Martouf control.

"Are you angry?"  He looked at her with an innocent expression. "Please don't be angry with us!"

Janet closed her eyes for a moment, telling herself they were small children and had just been playing. O'Neill and Teal'c were the guilty ones. _They_ would pay for this! Oh, would they ever!

"I'm not angry. You didn't hurt yourself?" She began examining them.

"No. We're fine." They all assured her.

Relieved, Janet told them to stay in the other end of the infirmary, while she cleaned up the broken glass.

"Let me help you." Sam offered.

"Yeah, me too!" Daniel started picking up towels.

Martouf and Garshaw enthusiastically began grabbing stuff too, trying to get it all back where it came from.

"No! You'll just hurt yourself. Go!" Janet pointed to where she wanted them to go.

A little disappointed, they dumped the stuff where they stood and turned to leave.

"AUCH!" Martouf cried out, then immediately began to cry.

Janet turned to see what had happened. Somehow, he had managed to step on some broken glass from the - fortunately unused - test tubes. She ran to pick him up, ordering the rest of the kids away as she checked out his foot.

"It hurts!"

"I know, sweetie. I'll fix it." She helped him to get up to sit on one of the beds, then left to quickly return with cotton balls, cleaning alcohol, bandages, and other things.

Martouf was now looking at his foot. It was bleeding from a relatively deep cut stretching across most of the width of the sole. He did not cry anymore, though.

"Lantash did something that made the pain go away."

Janet smiled. "Good. Now, just sit still!" She examined the wound. There was no glass in it, so she just cleaned it. Martouf made a sound as she did so - apparently Lantash did not expect the sting from the alcohol, and so could not counter it.

"Sorry. Now I just need to put a bandage on it, then you'll be fine!"

She prepared the bandage, then looked closer at the injury. It was closing and had already started to heal. Lantash had clearly figured out how to do this, despite not having his memories back yet. Very neat! Janet put the bandage on anyway, to protect the wound.

Martouf carefully got down on the floor, helped by Janet, then limped over to his friends.

\-----  
He had only just gotten over there, when O'Neill and Teal'c returned to the infirmary, each carrying a tray with some food on.

"Hi, guys!" O'Neill greeted happily. "We've brought you food!"

"Yaaay!" All of them them hurried to see what they had brought.

"And milk." Teal'c added.

"I want coke!" Daniel complained.

"Milk's better for you." O'Neill handed him a small carton, then gave the others one each.

"Colonel!" Janet said sternly, approaching them. "Why did you leave the children alone without informing me?"

"Uh..." O'Neill looked at Teal'c for support. "They were hungry, so we wanted to get them some stuff..."

"Indeed." Teal'c put the tray on one of the beds. "They were hungry, so we brought them food."

The children each grabbed an apple or a banana, as well as two large cookies with colourful M&M's in.

Daniel and Sam enthusiastically bit into the cookies, while Martouf studies the candies embedded in it suspiciously. Garshaw just looked unhappy.

"I don't like apples!" She stared at the offending fruit. "I wanna have a banana!"

"There weren't enough of them. Sorry!" O'Neill apologized. It was a little late in the day for fruit in the mess hall, especially since it was Sunday, and the base usually got new deliveries on Mondays, so...

Garshaw started sniffling, but before she could begin crying in earnest, Daniel handed her his banana. "We can switch. I don't care." He took her apple.

She smiled and happily accepted the banana. "Thank you!"

Daniel shrugged, putting the apple on the bed. "I'm not gonna eat any fruit anyway." He scarfed down the rest of his cookie.

Janet frowned at the displays, but mostly at the 'food'. "Colonel, it's good you got them something to eat, but couldn't you at least have brought them some real food, instead of _cookies_? All that sugar isn't good for them."

"Ah, come on! They've had a hard day! Gotten...de-aged...and all." He looked hopefully at Janet.

She rolled her eyes. "All right, I'll let this one slide - for now."

O'Neill suddenly noticed the room. "What _happened_ in here?"

"Your charges went exploring when you left them on their own, that's what happened!"

"Oops..." O'Neill looked guilty. Even more so, when he noticed the bandage on Martouf's foot. "Sorry..."

"'Oops' won't cut it! If you want to apologize, you can help cleaning up the place. You, too, Teal'c."

Thankfully, the airman sent out for clothes, returned then.

\-----  
"Did you _have_ to buy four identical mini-BDUs - complete with _combat boots_?" O'Neill exclaimed, incredulous.

The children had just changed into their new clothes, and they were looking like a mini-SG team.

"I think they're adorable!" Janet grinned.

"Sorry, sir, but it was past 6 PM when I reached the nearest store, and they had just closed. It's Sunday. Fortunately, my sister works in a store that sell military apparel to tourists, and she got her nice boss to open the store, since it was an emergency."

O'Neill hid his face in his hand. "I _hope_ you didn't tell her four of our people got shrunk in an alien do-hickey!"

"No, sir. I told her we rescued them after bad guys killed their parents..." He looked guilty. "I got a bit desperate when they continued asking. So..."

O'Neill sighed. "Oh, well. Could be worse, I guess." He suddenly noticed the mess that was still apparent in the infirmary. "General Hammond will be back soon. I have some... _reports_ I need to write first. Call me if something happens...like, they get their memories back - or grow up!" He hurried out the door before Janet could say anything.

Teal'c got a faintly panicked expression. "I...need to kel'no'reem. Excuse me." He left quickly.

Janet sighed deeply and shook her head, then turned to the kids.

"Could you sweeties run and play in my office while I take care of this?" She indicated the mess. At least there was nothing they could harm themselves on in her office.


	6. Chapter 6

O'Neill hurried through the door to the infirmary, having been called there by Janet.

"You say their memories are back? That's great! Maybe it's all starting to reverse?" O'Neill said, wishfully.

"I'm sorry, but no. I gave them a quick check-up. Their memories are back, but there are no changes otherwise. The amnesia was probably just a temporary side-effect of the process - or perhaps it was because the machine wasn't originally designed to work on humans - or symbiotes."

O'Neill looked unhappy. "Well, at least we'll find out how this mess happened."

He went straight to the children. They were sitting on the floor and playing some sort of game. Strange - since they no longer had amnesia. He heard them giggle.

"So, I hear your memories are back. I thought we'd do a quick debriefing - before Hammond's back." He checked his watch, then, with some difficulty, sat down on the floor, stretching one of his legs out in front of him.

"Yep. What do you wanna know, Colonel?" Sam asked, a serious expression on her face.

"What do you _think_ I wanna know? What _happened_?" He indicated her and the other children. "What caused _this_?"

"What this?" Garshaw demanded.

"You guys becoming _kids_ , of course!" He looked at them, exasperated.

"Daniel touched something he shouldn't have!" Martouf said. "Lantash told him not to!"

"Did not!" Daniel defended himself.

"Did too!" Sam said. "It's _always_ you!"

"OK. I guess I did." Daniel giggled.

"I need to pee." Sam suddenly announced.

"I'm hungry!" Lantash countered. He and Martouf must have switched control without anyone noticing.

"Doctor Fraiser!" O'Neill shouted, panicking a little.

"Yes, what's wrong now?" She came running.

"They're still kids! I mean, their _behaving_ that way, too! You said their memories were back!"

"And so they are, but mentally they're still children. Treat them that way."

O'Neill sighed. "I'll try." He shook his head. "Could you take Carter to the bathroom while I get Daniel to tell me what he did _this_ time?"

"Sir?"

He turned to look, and saw Garshaw.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Can I have some ice cream. Please, Colo-nel O'Neill?"

"I want ice cream too!" Lantash proclaimed. "Samantha says it's great!"

"No."

"Pleeeease?" Garshaw begged.

"No! Shut _up_! I need to talk to Daniel and I can't _think_ with your incessant nagging!"

Garshaw started wailing. "You hate me!" She sobbed. "You do!"

"That wasn't nice." Daniel told him, Lantash immediately agreeing.

O'Neill moaned in a low voice, closing his eyes and hiding his face in his hands. _Why_ did this have to happen to him? How could he _possibly_ have done anything to deserve it? Teal'c, of course, had snuck off on some sort of training session or perhaps to kel'no'reem, or whatever. Next time he would not get away so easily.

"Garshaw..." He sighed. "No, I don't hate you! I..." He shook his head.

Garshaw sniffled a little. "You do not hate me?"

"No, of course not." He awkwardly patted her on the head.

Garshaw smiled a little, wiping away a few tears as she crawled up in O'Neill's lap.

He sighed, but let her. He thought for a moment about how strange this all was. She was a former Goa'uld and a current resistance leader for crying out loud! He looked down at her, accepting that for now she was just a little girl, needing comfort. He gently stroked her hair and she stopped sniffling. He decided she was actually a really cute kid.

He decided to take the time when all of them seemed calm, to ask some more about what happened on the mission. However, he decided to take a more friendly approach this time.

\-----  
Hammond entered the room, followed by Teal'c and two guards. He stopped just inside the door and looked at the curious scenery for a moment.

O'Neill was sitting on the floor, with a little dark-haired girl in his lap. Beside him stood two small boys, both with blond hair. One of them was gently patting O'Neill on the arm, obviously trying to cheer him up, while the other looked at Hammond with concern.

"Colonel - so _this_ is where you're hiding!" Hammond looked around the place, spotting Janet returning with a blond-haired girl, the same age as the other children in the room. "What is going _on_ here? Teal'c told me you had had an... _incident_. Would you care to enlighten me?"

"Well..." O'Neill looked uncomfortable. "Um, yeah. We had...a...ah, _minor_ mishap..." He got up as quickly as he could, while letting Garshaw down gently. She did not let go of him and hid behind his legs, peeking out at Hammond.

"You've got to be a bit more clear than that! Who are these kids - and where's the rest of SG-1?" Hammond sounded irritated. "And the Tok'ra just contacted us, wondering where their people are and why they haven't reported in. You know anything about that? The Tok'ra council is missing their Grand Councillor and they're getting impatient."

O'Neill took a deep breath "They're all here. Carter and Daniel, Martouf..." He indicated the three children standing beside him. And this is Garshaw..." He gently pulled the girl in front of him."

"...of Belote." The little girl added, shyly. "I'm the most hunted - and _feared_ Tok'ra of all time!" She announced, meekly.

Hammond stared at her, unbelieving, for several more moments before it registered in his brain that the girl had spoken with the flanged voice symbiotes often used - though it sounded strange in the child's voice.

"Hi, General!" Sam waved at him, before she hid her face against Martouf's shoulder and giggled.

"Ah...care to comment on that, Colonel?" He looked hard at O'Neill. "Is this supposed to be some sort of joke?"

"No joke. Unfortunately. This really _is_ Garshaw of Belote...and the others _are_ Carter, Daniel, and Martouf." O'Neill looked miserable.

"What _happened_?" Hammond demanded, exasperated. Why did these things always happen to SG-1? True, this time apparently two Tok'ra were affected as well. "You _shrunk_ the Grand Councillor of the Tok'ra? And you're calling that a 'small mishap'!" Hammond looked like he needed to sit down. "Why haven't you informed the Tok'ra?"

"We....uh, were kinda hoping the effect might be temporary, sir."

" _Temporary_?" Hammond shook his head, disbelieving. "How did it happen? It's not the Asgard's doing, is it?"

"No, we don't think it has anything to do with the Asgard."

"Daniel touched something he shouldn't have!" Sam said. "Sir!" She quickly added, saluting Hammond.

Hammond looked at the two blond boys. When he studied them a little closer, he noticed features he recognized in the older versions, and believed he could tell which one was Daniel.

"How was I to know it'd do this?" Daniel said.

Hammond closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head slowly. He opened them again and looked at Janet.

"Doctor Fraiser, _could_ the effect be temporary?" 

"I'm afraid that's unlikely. It very much looks like the only thing that'll bring them back to normal is time. They'll have to grow up all over again - unless we can somehow figure out how to get the device that did this to work in reverse."

"Which 'device' is this?"

"As near as I've been able to tell, they got the door to the lab on P3X-739 opened. They went inside and started examining the place, finding some sort of big honkin' alien machine. Daniel told me he may have...uh...fiddled with the controls of it, and apparently it activated, doing this." O'Neill explained, realising how vague it all sounded.

"You don't know anything else about this _device_?"

"I have _no_ idea! When Teal'c and I entered the lab, Carter, Daniel, Martouf, and Garshaw were lying on the floor, unconscious - and they were _kids_. We didn't really think about anything, except getting them back here."

"I understand. We'll send a team to check it out. However, first we should debrief and make sure we have all the information...and Colonel? You're contacting the Tok'ra _immediately_ afterwards."

"Yes, sir..." O'Neill managed to look even more unhappy.

"Do not worry. I shall accompany you and explain!" Garshaw said.

"No, I think you'd better stay here." O'Neill preferred explaining things first, instead of just confronting their allies with a 6 year old Garshaw.

"OK, people. Debrief in 30 minutes. " Hammond turned to leave.

"I'm still hungry!" Lantash informed them.

The others loudly repeated the same, and Janet had a hard time keeping from laughing when she saw the faces of O'Neill and the others.

"OK, Colonel. Debrief in an hour...or make that an hour and a half. Take those children to the mess hall. You help him, Teal'c." Hammond left, not waiting to hear their answers.


	7. Chapter 7

A less than enthused O'Neill walked into the mess hall, following Teal'c and the children. He _so_ did not feel like he deserved this! Fortunately, it was almost 8 PM Sunday evening and there were not that many in the room.

Unfortunately, for the same reason, there were also not much food left to choose from.

"Looks like it'll have to be fried... _something_ with mashed potatoes and veggies." O'Neill said, studying the contents of the counter. He picked up a fork and poked at the undefinable fried meat. It was covered with a thick shell of batter.

"It's chicken nuggets formed as steaks!" The kitchen assistant said, a little offended. "They were my idea, and I think they're cool!"

"Of course!" O'Neill said, rolling his eyes at her as soon as she turned her back to them. "OK, chicken... _steaks_ for everyone!"

He took one look at the children and realised there was no _way_ they could reach high enough to load anything onto their trays themselves. He put the trays on the counter and began loading up - 'chicken', mashed potatoes, gravy, some sort of vegetables, a couple bread rolls...

"Can I have pie? Please, sir?" Lantash asked, having managed to pull himself up high enough on one of the counters to spot the desserts.

"Me too, Jack?" Daniel begged.

"What kind of pie is it?" Sam wanted to know. "Sir." She quickly added.

O'Neill looked at Teal'c. "Do you think Doctor Fraiser will mind?"

"She said the children needed 'real food'. Pie is real food."

"Good enough for me!" He looked at Garshaw. "You want pie, too?"

She nodded. "Yes." Yosuuf answered.

"OK." O'Neill shoveled up pie and vanilla cream on plates and put it on the trays. When he had added a glass of milk for each of the children - and coffee for himself, and orange juice for Teal'c - he realised they had six full trays. Even if he and Teal'c could _maybe_ handle two each, it was unlikely the children could carry the remaining two. "A little help, here, please?" He asked the cashier.

The woman grinned, seeing all the food. Then she noticed the children. She smiled at them.

"Oooh, they're adorable! All four of them wearing cute little uniforms! Are those three triplets?" She pointed at Sam, Daniel, and Lantash.

"No, they're not." O'Neill said, looking at them. True, they _did_ look somewhat alike at this age, all of them with blond hair and blue - or blue-grey - eyes.

\-----  
They had managed to get all the food over to a table and now sat around it.

Sam suspiciously - and very carefully - cut a small piece off the chicken and tasted it. She made a face and put the fork down.

"Do you want me to help you cut the meat?" O'Neill asked.

"No. I'm not gonna eat it. It's vile."

Daniel, Martouf, and Yosuuf had been listening intently. They promptly put down their utensils as well.

O'Neill groaned. He cut off a piece of his own chicken and tasted it. Not too bad, but not great either, he had to admit. He loaded up gravy and mashed potatoes together with the meat. That was much better. The gravy was a bit greasy, but it effectively hid the taste - and more importantly - the texture of the chicken nugget.

"It's much better if you hide it under the other stuff. See?" He shoveled a large fork-full into his mouth. "Mmmm..."

Sam looked at him with scorn, clearly not believing him.

Martouf carefully speared a piece of carrot and held it up, studying it. The vegetable was quite soft and fell off the fork, sploshing down into the mashed potatoes and gravy. A small amount hit Teal'c on his sleeve.

"Sorry, sir." Martouf looked guiltily at him.

Teal'c just raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Martouf carefully picked up the carrot with his fingers and put it in his mouth. He chewed it slowly, a disgusted expression slowly spreading on his face.

"I know what we need..." O'Neill got up and went to the counter, grabbing a large bottle of ketchup. He placed it on the table. "Put this on. If you just use enough, it will hide everything else. Trust me, I have _much_ experience with the food here in the mess hall."

With the help of the ketchup, most of the food slowly went down. When O'Neill noticed Daniel had started building a fortress out of the last of the mashed potatoes and some peas, he decided it was time for the dessert. He removed the plates with the last of the offending food and put them on the table behind him.

"So - time for dessert!" O'Neill smiled and put the plates in front of the children who immediately got a happier expression.

"Yaaaay!"

Just as the children were about to eat their dessert, SG-2 came into the mess hall, having just returned from a mission. They were tired and hungry, but smiled at the children nonetheless.

"I hadn't noticed we'd started hiring them that young - is Anubis being a bigger problem than I knew?" Major Michael Griff said.

"Very funny!" O'Neill snorted.

"These are the unfortunate victims of an alien machine, which transformed them into children." Teal'c informed him.

Griff and the other members of SG-2 guffawed.

"And here I suspected Jaffa didn't have a sense of humour!"

"He's telling the truth. Unfortunately." O'Neill said, looking so unhappy that the other SG-team members shut up.

"You're not kidding?" They gaped at him, throwing surprised looks at the children.

"I'm Major Carter!" the little blond-haired girl proclaimed.

"And _I_ am Grand Councilor Garshaw of the Tok'ra." A little girl with dark hair told them, her voice distorted in the way usual for symbiotes.

 _That_ convinced them!

"Uh...how did this _happen_?" Griff asked, nervously.

O'Neill sighed and quickly related the story, not wanting to wait for Daniel or someone else to do it. SG-2 finally left them alone, but they snickered now and then. Especially when one of the now very young Tok'ra or SG-1 team-members said or did something that made it very clear they really _were_ small children.

Garshaw had cut off a piece of her pie and carefully poked at it with her spoon. "What is in it?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Apple." Teal'c informed her.

"I do _not_ like that! It is sour!"

"Our apples are sweet. Try it!" O'Neill said quickly, sending Teal'c a warning look. "Besides, I think it's pear, not apple."

Garshaw looked at him, disbelieving.

"It's good." Daniel told her.

"If you don't want it, I will eat it for you." Lantash offered.

"See? The others like it! I'm sure you'll love it! Why don't you just try a little bit?" O'Neill took her spoon and shoveled up some pie with vanilla cream on. He moved it close to her mouth, which she immediately pressed tightly together. "Please?"

"Apples are good for you. There is a Tau'ri saying...an apple every 24 hours will effectively repel physicists."

" _Doctor's_ , Teal'c. _Physicians_ \- not physicists!" O'Neill said, exasperated.

"The saying goes, 'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.'" Daniel smiled. "It means if you eat apples - or fruit in general - you'll rarely get sick and need a doctor."

"I can heal almost any illness or injury!" Garshaw declared. "I do not need this fruit."

SG-2 were by now laughing loudly. O'Neill turned to them. "Very funny! I'd like to see you wise-guys do any better!"

"Offer her something she wants in return for eating." Griff suggested.

"It's a very bad idea to bribe kids - I learned that a long time ago!" O'Neill said.

"I will try this pie if I get some of that!" She pointed at the large glass of cola one of the members of SG-2 was drinking. "It looks great!"

O'Neill shook his head, then got up and went to fetch her some, no longer caring if what he did set a bad precedence.

"Can I have some too, Jack?" Daniel called after him.

O'Neill did not say anything, he just returned with 4 large glasses of cola and put one in front of each of the children. They each happily grabbed a glass.

Martouf took a large drink from it, through the straw. He wrinkled his nose a little, as the bubbles from the carbonation tickled.

"Lantash says this is not healthy...but it tastes good!"


	8. Chapter 8

Finally, the children had eaten their food and were very full. They were also very tired, but the large amounts of sugar they had consumed meant they were a bit hyperactive and happily jumped around on the way to the elevator.

O'Neill and Teal'c lead them down to the briefing room where Hammond and Janet were waiting.

"So, did you get enough to eat?" Hammond gave them a friendly smile.

"Yes!" Daniel said, happily. "We got mashed potatoes with ketchup and pie and Coca Cola!"

"Uh...Colonel?" Janet frowned. "Didn't I tell you to give them _real_ food?"

"We got fried chicken with gravy - it was _nasty_!" Sam said. "Colo-nel O'Neill suggested we use ketchup to hide the taste...and..."

"I think I can guess the rest." Janet sighed.

"If you're ready, we will begin the debrief!" Hammond said, smiling.

The children all dutifully sat down on their - much too large - chairs. They either insisted on crawling up on it on their own, or got help from the adults. They sat, dangling their legs and waiting to tell their story.

"We already know some of what happened. You went to P3X-739 to look at some promising and well preserved ruins. Colonel, will you continue?"

"Yes, sir. We found several texts, indicating a room in the main building, containing a lab with something that was called 'vital to the survival of our race', by the people who originally lived there. Some Goa'uld had been there centuries ago and studied the place and the stuff in the lab. He'd decided to put a locked door on the lab and stupid us decided to open it. Seems the snake had a good reason for locking the place down."

"Yes." Daniel continued. "We couldn't de-cipher it and asked the Tok'ra to help us, and with their help we got it opened. When we got in we found a _shit-load_ of stuff."

"I don't think you're allowed to say shit!" Sam giggled.

"Stuff?" Hammond inquired.

"Yes." Sam said. "You know, alien machines and such. Anyway, in the middle of the room there was this _huge_ thing with antennas and _stuff_ , and we went to look at it."

"And I touched some buttons or something on a con-sole." Daniel explained.

"There was a funny humming sound and then it got louder and all thunder-like and then there was a flash!" Martouf said, wanting to help explain too.

"And then we woke up in the in...in-firmary." Garshaw finished. "Didn't remember a thing."

"That's basically it. Teal'c and I came running as fast as we could when we heard the noise. We discovered they'd gotten the door open and explored the lab. We found them unconscious on the floor - not that we believed it was them at first, because they'd been de-aged." O'Neill added.

Then Janet told Hammond what she had found, and after some more questions, the meeting was adjourned.

The children were exhausted from all the things that had happened that day, but they were still on somewhat of a sugar-high when they followed Janet down to the infirmary, where they would sleep for the night. Janet hoped to get them down there and prepared for bed before they had metabolised all the sugar - they would probably be really tired and mopey as soon as that happened. Better have them in bed by then! Hammond had ordered that a VIP room be prepared for them the next day.

O'Neill and Teal'c went to contact the Tok'ra and inform them of what had happened, as they had been ordered to.

\-----  
" _Damn_ , Delek was angry! The others weren't happy either, but _him_! It's like he thought _I_ was personally to blame!" O'Neill grumbled as they walked back to the Stargate.

"I believe they are mainly concerned about their people." Teal'c observed.

"And they didn't trust us to fix this! They've recalled Anise and she'd come 'help' us in a couple days!" O'Neill did not like the thought of _that_. With Daniel transformed, Anise would not have him to focus her interest on, and she would no doubt let Freya follow her inclinations for _him_ instead. "At least _Jacob_ wasn't home."

"It was my understanding he is the Tok'ra you like best?"

"Normally, yeah, but I can't say I'm looking forward to telling him his daughter's been shrunk to child-size - and on a mission _I_ was in charge of, no less!"

Teal'c nodded, understanding his misgivings. "He would return early in the day after tomorrow. That gives you a whole day to prepare your explanation."  



	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Teal'c had a short training mission with SG-3 which he had insisted he needed to take care of. He would return before noon. O'Neill felt he had looked _way_ too happy about it.

O'Neill entered the infirmary, only to almost be run over by Yosuuf. She wore the same clothing as yesterday, but her hair was wet and a nurse came running after her, wielding a comb and a hair dryer, the power cord no longer connected.

"No! I will _not_ yield to your torture!" She threw her arms around O'Neill's legs, clinging to him. "You will protect me? _Please_?"

O'Neill sighed deeply. "What's the problem?"

"She's pulling my hair! It hurts!"

"You should let her cut it - like mine. No problems!" Sam said, smiling. She touched her own hair briefly.

"Never!" Yosuuf yelled.

"Your hair is pretty." O'Neill tried. "It will be even prettier if you let the nurse comb it."

They were interrupted as a little, naked - and very wet - boy came running from the nearby bathroom. Janet was hot on his heals, carrying a towel.

"Stop! Martouf! You need to dry off before running out! And getting some clothes on wouldn't hurt either!" She caught him and started drying him.

O'Neill grinned, realising Janet and the nurses had bathed all the children. A giggling Daniel ran around, wearing the much too large t-shirt he had likely slept in. He was being chased by a nurse, who insisted he take a bath like the three others had done. O'Neill shook his head.

"I think I'll leave you to it and return later." He turned around and was just about to leave the infirmary when Hammond entered.

"Colonel..." He took in the scenery. "The Tok'ra have reported Anise is on the way back from her mission and will begin studying the ancient device tomorrow. Hopefully, she and her people will quickly find a solution to this."

"Yes, sir. I sincerely hope so too."

"Until that happens, I have put you in charge of the children. The Tok'ra have accepted to leave them all her with us, agreeing it is safer here than in the Tok'ra tunnels, since the Goa'uld may attack them at any time."

" _Me_ , sir?" O'Neill did not know if he should laugh or cry. "You put _me_ in charge?"

"Yes, I know you're fond of children, and you also seem to get along well with them. When they're ready, take them to have some breakfast. Afterwards I think we should get them some more clothing, if they are to stay this way for a longer period of time. Take Teal'c and Doctor Fraiser, and go shopping somewhere with the children. Buy clothes, and whatever else you think they might need."

"If you think so..."

"I do."

Janet had gotten Martouf dried and into some clothing and now joined them.

"We should also consider getting them some toys."

"Toys?" O'Neill looked at her.

"Yes, they may have all the memories of their adult versions, but don't forget - mentally they're children."

\-----  
"Do you want scrambled eggs or boiled eggs?" O'Neill asked, as he looked at the options.

"I don't want eggs! I want pancakes!" Sam pointed at the desired food.

"No, that's not good for you. You got _way_ too much sugar yesterday. You can have eggs, bacon, and toast. Sounds good, doesn't it?" He said, enthusiastically.

Daniel, who had previously accepted scrambled eggs, now changed his mind.

"I want pancakes too!"

"And me!" Lantash said, looking enviously at the large heap of pancakes, which the marine in front of them had just gotten.

"Pancakes!" Yosuuf said, smiling sweetly at O'Neill. "Pleeease?"

O'Neill sighed deeply. He so did not feel up to taking a fight over it this early. He made a decision. "Pancakes it is. But you must promise to eat at least _one_ slice of toast first." He tried, compromising.

"Yaaaaay! Pancakes!"

They got toast, cheese, strawberry jelly - and a _huge_ heap of pancakes. When they were all sitting at the table, Sam remembered something.

"I must have coffee!"

"Yeah, coffee for me too!" Daniel added.

"Nope, no coffee. Eat your pancakes."

"Pleeeease?" Sam tried, giving O'Neill the same puppy-eyes as Yosuuf had done before.

"No, not gonna happen, so you can just quit that immediately!"

Grumbling, Sam took the bottle of syrup and poured a large amount over her pancakes. O'Neill grabbed the bottle from her as the plate was starting to overflow.

"Dammit, Carter!" He sighed. "Don't forget your toast! Cheese or jelly?"

"Neither..." Sam grabbed the buttered toast and put it face down into the syrup. She pulled the now very sticky bread free and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing and looking happy.

"Yeeach. _Carter_!" O'Neill frowned.

Well, at least she seemed to have forgotten about the coffee. He quickly handed her a napkin, hoping to catch some of the goo that was threatening to drip from her chin. She smiled sweetly at him.

The other children had studied her with interest. Yosuuf shrugged and continued eating her toast with cheese. Martouf and Daniel took one look at their half-eaten bread, then copied what Sam had done.

O'Neill rolled his eyes and got a long-suffering expression as he handed them a napkin each. Sam was setting a bad example! Who would have thought?

Finished with her bread, Sam rolled up the first pancake and speared it with her fork. She lifted it up and began to gnaw at it from the end of it, the syrup running all over.

"No! Not like _that_!" He stopped her and made her put the pancake down. "Cut it with your knife! Do you need me to help you?"

She shook her head. "No, I know how to. This was just funnier!" She smiled, then dutifully began using the knife to cut it, then ate the more manageable pieces of pancake.

O'Neill sighed and checked that the other children ate in a reasonably civilized manner as well.

Lantash looked at his sticky hands, then at the glass of milk. He carefully touched the glass with a finger, leaving a mark.

"Can I have another napkin, please, O'Neill?"

O'Neill got up and soon returned with several large hand fulls of napkins. He threw a bunch at each of the children, then sat down and ate his own pancakes, determined to not let anything more bother him. He could hear snickering from some of the other tables. He studiously ignored it.


	10. Chapter 10

After having gotten all the syrup cleaned off, the children had behaved irreproachably. They played on the floor in O'Neill's office, while he wrote a much-hated report about their latest mission. Now and then he would look up and check on them.

They were being _remarkably_ quiet. He had told them they would be going out shopping for clothes for them later, and if they behaved nicely they would get toys as well.

Clearly, they did _not_ wish to risk not getting _that_. He had given them paper and pens and told them they could draw whatever was on their minds - it would seem they had fun with that.

He had just finished his report when someone knocked on the door.

"Yes?" He waved at the children who dutifully got out of the way.

The door opened and Teal'c entered, followed by Janet.

"Hello, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"Hi, Teal'c! Doctor Fraiser!" He smiled at them, relieved to see them.

"What are you all doing, kids?" Janet looked down at the floor, seeing the pictures. "Wow, nice pictures!"

"Hi Doctor Janet! We're making drawing." Lantash said happily.

"Drawing. We're drawing. Not making drawing." Daniel corrected.

"Whatever." Lantash stuck his tongue out at him.

"Hey! Be nice!" Daniel pushed Lantash so he tripped over, hitting Sam.

"Sorry, Samantha." He quickly steadied her, then turned around and would have pushed Daniel back if Teal'c had not quickly placed himself between them.

"You can fight later. We are ordered to go shopping now."

"Who drew this?" Janet had picked up several of the pictures and were looking at them.

"I did!" Daniel said, proudly.

"It's nice...uh...what is it?"

"Can't you tell? It's a _ship_ landing on a pyramid and a pro-cession outside it."

"Of course..." Janet smiled.

"That one is mine!" Lantash said. "It's for you!"

"Why, thank you!" She smiled warmly at him, then looked at the picture again. "It's a Stargate with some kind of huts beside it - and a lake. And what are those?"

"They're dogs. They guard the chaapa'ai...the...Star-gate against the Goa'uld."

"Sure they do." She patted him affectionately on the head.

She admired all the other pictures the children showed her, commenting on things she liked. O'Neill joined her, while Teal'c found it all strange. Jaffa did not have much tradition for art, since they had not really had the opportunity.

After some time, they left to go shopping.

\-----  
"I'm not getting into _that_!" Martouf looked at the vehicle. "It looks dangerous!"

"No worry! It's perfectly safe!" Sam reassured him. "It's a Humvee - they're used in battle here on Earth."

Martouf looked only slightly less worried, but allowed himself to be convinced and crawled up into the vehicle, followed by Sam, Daniel, and Yosuuf, who looked even more concerned than Martouf.

Janet pointed at the seat belts and gave them an encouraging smile as she closed the door after them. She then joined Teal'c and O'Neill in the front of the car.

When everyone had buckled their safety belts, O'Neill took off towards the nearest shopping mall.

\-----  
"Can we buy toys now?" Sam looked longingly at the large toy store they had just walked past.

"No, you'll get toys later. Clothes first." O'Neill gave her a gentle push towards the department store, beside the toy store.

"I don't _like_ shopping for clothes..." Sam pouted.

"Why do we need more clothing? We _have_ clothing!" Lantash proclaimed, loudly, pulling at the sleeve of his jacket as proof. "We've got three copies each of this."

"Ssssschhhh..." O'Neill quickly looked around. It was still early and no one was nearby. "I _told_ you to leave Martouf in control when we're not on base!"

"I want to pick out clothes and toys too!" Lantash said in a low voice, looking unhappy.

"OK, but let Martouf talk - or at least use his voice!"

Lantash nodded. "You didn't answer my question." There was no distortion this time.

Janet answered instead. "Yes, you've got clothes, but you need more - and _different_ clothes. You can't walk around in uniforms the whole time!"

"Why not? Many Tok'ra wear uniforms most of the time...so do you!"

"He's right!" Sam said. "I wear uniforms _all_ the time!"

"Just do what I say! You're kids now, not soldiers or whatever."

"Yes, _sir_!" Sam saluted him. It was immediately repeated by Daniel, Lantash, and finally Yosuuf.

O'Neill groaned and hid his face in his hands. How did he deserve this?

"Oh, they're _so_ cute!" A woman's voice said.

"Absolutely adorable! And the little uniforms! _So_ sweet!" Another woman gushed.

O'Neill turned to see two young women who looked like they were about to melt at the sight of the children.

"Thanks...I guess..." He quickly turned back, not having _any_ wish to talk to anyone about the children. He thought he heard a strangled chuckle from Janet and glared at her.

"Time to find clothes, kids." Janet said, smiling. She grabbed a cart and herded them towards the children's clothes department. Teal'c and O'Neill followed. They very much looked forward to getting this over with.


	11. Chapter 11

They were currently in the girls clothing section.  Looking out over it, it resembled very much a sea of pink, with a few spots here and there in a different colour.

"I hate pink." Sam proclaimed. "And dresses." She wrinkled her nose.

"Why do the girls get to pick clothes first?" Daniel complained.

"We can go to the boys clothes now. I don't wanna have _anything_ here!" Sam stated with finality.

O'Neill scowled at her. "You can choose some from the boys clothes section later - when you've picked at _least_ two pairs of pants, three shirts, and one dress - no make that _two_ \- here. _And_ some night wear."

Janet had been looking through the shelves with underwear and threw several packs for each of the girls into the cart. She picked out some socks as well, being careful to choose at least some that were inoffensive to Sam's taste.

Compared with Sam, Yosuuf seemed very interested in the dresses. In the time it had taken Sam to find one pair of pants and one shirt, Yosuuf had picked out an armful of dresses, as well as two pairs of pants, a few shirts, a couple sweaters, and a jacket.

Much of it was pink, but she also had a few blue dresses. Having thrown them into the cart, she happily ran back for more dresses, bowing her head and giving Garshaw control. Her symbiote continued picking out dresses, though a bit more subdued in colour and pattern than those her host had chosen.

Finally, Sam had found the required pieces of clothing - including a sweater and a jacket that had passed her strict criteria. Daniel and Martouf had each spotted one shirt in this section, which they insisted they wanted.

"I believe they are good choices." Teal'c said.

O'Neill gave the shirts a look. They were both a pale blue colour, with several happy rabbits on. He decided they were probably OK. "Whatever."

The shirts were added to the pile of clothing in the cart and they continued on to the boys clothes section.

After the easy part, were Janet picked out underwear and socks for them, they came to the much harder one. They needed pants, shorts, shirts, sweaters, jackets, and pyjamases.

Sam was happier with the clothing here, and quickly picked out several pants - many of them cargo pants. She also found shirts and sweaters to her liking, continuing to pick clothes that resembled BDUs.

Martouf had found some clothes he liked and it was currently Lantash's turn. He looked interestedly at the tan-coloured pants and shirts Sam had found, and went to get the same. He returned with those, as well as very Tok'ra-y linen pants and shirts - and even a small leather vest and a belt.

Janet grinned. "Trying to put together a Tok'ra uniform?"

He nodded, a little sheepishly.

"Perhaps we can ask the Tok'ra to bring you one?"

\-----  
Finally, they had found acceptable clothing for everyone, and headed for the shoes department.

"You need at least one pair of sandals and some sneakers." O'Neill told them, as they set out to look through the aisles.

"Perhaps they should also get a pair of nicer shoes each?" Janet suggested. "If they need to attend some party or something?"

"I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to invite those four... _six_ little terrors to any official function!" O'Neill said, tiredly. "Besides, I sure hope _Anise_ will show some skill for once and figure out how the damn machine works, so they can get back to normal! I'm even missing the normal _Garshaw_! Though I must admit she's cute as a kid." He smiled a little, looking at the children. He had a hard time feeling animosity against children, despite some of them being Tok'ra.

Janet giggled, knowing the kids had long since won him over. Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the two other adults.

"Can I have these shoes...uncle Jack?" Yosuuf smiled sweetly at him. "They match the dress I found earlier."

O'Neill took a look at the pink shoes. They did indeed look as if they belonged together with the princess-style dress Yosuuf had picked out earlier.

"Yeah, why not." He smiled at her.

She happily stood on her toes and put the shoes into the cart, then ran off to find more shoes.

Daniel had located little boots, similar to the ones they already wore for their BDUs, but these were tan and would match the desert uniforms they had each managed to scrounge together from the clothes here. They all got a pair of those, together with sandals, sneakers, and a pair of the 'nice' shoes, Janet insisted on.

They had already been in the store for more than two hours, and the cart was completely full and even overflowing, so they went to the cashier.

O'Neill took out the gold Visa card he had borrowed for this trip. It was backed up directly by the SGC's funding.

The clerk smiled happily at the large cart full of clothing and took the card with a grin.

"Neat - you got the Air Force to pay for clothes for your kids?"

"They're not my kids."

"Oh." The clerk looked a little strangely at Janet and Teal'c, then at the children.

"They're not theirs either...their..." O'Neill looked desperately at the two others. "Orphans. Their parents were killed by... _hostiles_ and the Air Force are taking care of them."

Janet gave him a look as if she thought he was crazy. He glared back, daring her to come up with a better explanation.

"I'm _not_ an orphan! I have a dad! And Selmak who's kinda like a mom, just in the same body, ya know?" Sam explained to the clerk who looked even more strangely at her.

"She's in denial." Janet quickly said, trying to save the situation. "I'm the doctor in charge of them." She pulled out her ID and flashed it at the clerk. "We needed to get them some clothes and I am accompanying them, to look after them."

The clerk nodded, giving the children a compassionate look. "I understand. Poor little ones." He quickly rang up their purchases and started stuffing everything into bags.

"Good luck - with everything!" He called out after them.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, I want that...and _that_...and that one over there!" Sam exclaimed, happily.

"Calm down. You're only getting...say, 200 dollars each to buy toys for. It should be _more_ than enough!" O'Neill said, determinedly.

" _200_ dollars? That's nothing!" Sam looked incredulous he could even suggest it. "Do you know what a single Hellfire missile costs? 68,000 dollars! Toys are peanuts! We should have at _least_ 5000 dollars each!"

"What's _that_ gotta do with things? 500 dollars, then, if that'll make you happy!"

Sam looked as if she considered it.

"Don't take such a low offer. You're supposed to barter!" Martouf said. He turned to O'Neill. "4000 dollars. Each."

"You're crazy!" He rolled his eyes. "You don't even know what our money is worth. Oh, well. 800 dollars. That's my last offer - and that's _only_ because you don't have _any_ toys right now!"

"Is it not easier simply to agree to their wishes? As Major Carter mentioned, your military spend much larger amounts of currency without much consideration. It would likely make little difference to them if you spend 5000 dollars instead of 500 for each child." Teal'c pointed out.

"You don't know them like I do! They'll squabble endlessly, complain and whine..." O'Neill suddenly smiled. "2000 dollars each. How does that sound?"

"We accept!" Daniel quickly said, excitedly.

"Finally! I'll just sit here and wait while you find your stuff." He sat down on a bench, beside a rack with rows and rows of computer games.

"I shall keep you company." Teal'c said, sitting down on a chair in front of a computer monitor. There was a game controller on the table. A child that had been on the way there looked at him with annoyance. He had obviously wanted to play the game. Teal'c raised an eyebrow and looked coldly at him. The child left, looking downcast.

Teal'c studied the game running on the screen with interest, then picked up the controller and began pressing buttons. Soon he handed O'Neill the other controller and they began playing.

Janet smiled at them, then left to stroll around, looking at the aisles and trying to keep an eye on the children, who were running all over the store, happily giggling.

"Wow! Look at this!" Sam made a small jump in happiness, then pulled a large box down from the shelf.

"What is it?" Martouf wanted to know.

"It's LEGO Technic! I didn't have this when I was a kid - it was new and Dad thought it was too ex...expensive!"

"You _are_ a kid." Daniel pointed out.

"Yeah, well, the _first_ time, you know..." Sam grinned a little sheepishly. "Anyway, with this you can build _anything_...and adding _this_..." She grabbed another box, labeled 'Mindstorms'. "I can build programmable, moving stuff!"

"That's awesome!" Martouf grabbed a couple boxes and added them to their cart.

It was already getting very full. Besides the boxes of LEGO, it contained balls, roller skates, children's scooters, toy weapons, several stuffed animals, dolls, computer games, cartoons, movies, paper, crayons, toy soldiers, radio controlled cars, games, and lots and lots of other things.

"Don't you want some, Daniel?"

"No, I prefer _this_!" He grabbed a box labeled 'LEGO Adventurers - Scorpion Palace', then spotted a box at the back of the shelf. He put the box in his hands in the cart and climbed the lowest shelf. It held, but made a creaking sound.

Sam and Martouf ran to help him, and he managed to get the large box. Triumphant he studied it.

"LEGO Adventurers - Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins! I saw this in a store some years ago, but felt...well, I guess I decided it wasn't for grown-ups. Now I can have it! I'm _so_ glad they still had one of'em!"

"And it's cheap too." Sam pointed out. "Only 125 dollars, despite being such a huge box. A bargain. Must be an old left-over." She added, sceptically.

"I don't care! I _love_ it!" Daniel said, clutching the huge box to him.

Lantash, having taken over control from Martouf, studied it carefully.

"That's an _Anubis_ statue...what's up with that?" He scoffed. "You really want a toy with a _Goa'uld_?" 

"It's _educational_!" Daniel defended himself.

He put the box in the cart and checked what else was on the back of the shelf. He stuffed a few more boxes into the cart. It was beginning to overflow and he had to stack things very carefully.

"We need another cart." Lantash observed.

Garshaw came towards them, carrying a big fluffy white plush rabbit with a red ribbon tied around its neck.

"Hi! This is Mister Fluffy!" She waved with one of the rabbit's paws and giggled. She gave the toy a hug.

\-----  
Finally, they pushed two large, very full carts towards the area where O'Neill and Teal'c were waiting. Janet had joined the children and was helping them.

O'Neill and Teal'c had been playing a boxing game - with O'Neill loosing badly. He had not given up, though. However, when he saw the two full carts he jumped up.

"Whoa! Are you crazy?" He looked disbelieving at all the stuff. "That's gotta be toys for _much_ more than 2000 dollars each!"

"Nope!" Sam smiled. "We got good deals! I've got for 1997.96 dollars!" She looked proud.

"1994.26 dollars!" Martouf stated. He bowed his head and gave Lantash control.

"I have toys for 1989.33 dollars."

"Since they didn't use all their allowance, I've gotten for 2009 dollars...or around there..." Daniel looked a little sheepish.

"Wait!" O'Neill stopped them before Yosuuf and Garshaw could say anything. "You _both_ got for 2000 dollars toys? Lantash _and_ Martouf?"

"Yes, of course!" Lantash looked offended.

"Listen, I meant 2000 dollars per _kid_..." He groaned. "Per _entity_...no...dammit! You _know_ what I meant!"

"They are two people - both children. It's only fair they each get the same amount of toys as the rest of us." Sam pointed out.

"Or don't you think of me as a real person?" Lantash looked a little sad, but mostly angry.

"That's not what I meant!" He gave Janet and Teal'c a pleading look. Neither said anything. Janet had a clear 'you have to get out of this one on your own' look.

"I never had _any_ toys when I was a kid...the first time. I was just sitting there, in my Jaffa. The _whole_ time! _Boring_! I want some toys now!" Garshaw stated.

"I didn't have many either! I grew up in a _lake_! How fun do you think that was? I only got a _few_ toys!" Lantash turned to O'Neill. "Please? Let me have some more now?"  
   
"I'm sure it was one of the reasons I became an evil Goa'uld." Garshaw added. "I changed later, of course, but..."

"I'm feeling slightly evil already!" Lantash tried.

" _You_ can't turn evil." Garshaw scoffed. "Your mommy messed with your head. _I_ had to become good on my _own_."

"I _can_ cause mischief!" Lantash countered.

"Yes, but you won't...or I'll be disappointed." Janet said, sternly.

Lantash nodded. "Understood."

"I know of many Goa'uld who did not have toys and they _all_ became evil! This proves it! No toys makes you evil." Garshaw continued.

"Listen, Garshaw, even _I_ can see the fault in that logic!" O'Neill groaned. "Carter?"

"Nope! Sounds sound to me!"  
   
O'Neill sighed deeply. He could not handle the thought of having to wait while the children went through the mountain of toys, and picked out those belonging to Lantash and Garshaw. Or listening to the crying and whining he was sure would accompany it. Besides, what they said _did_ make a sort of sense. They were all kids, so he supposed it was only fair they all got toys.

"Okay...okay...what the hell. I guess it's OK. Let's just pay for the damn toys!"

They took the overflowing carts to the very happy looking cashier.


	13. Chapter 13

"I didn't think we'd been able to get it all in, but there's even space for you!" O'Neill said, smiling wryly.

They had loaded the car with the toys. The clothes and some other things Janet had insisted on for the kids, were already there.

"I'm _tired_!" Daniel moped, leaning against Janet's leg. "I wanna go home!"

"So am I - and hungry!" Martouf agreed. "So is Lantash."

"I'm hungry too!" Sam complained.

"Okay, let's go eat someplace." O'Neill said, tiredly. He was starting to feel more than a bit hungry himself.

"Can Mister Fluffy come?" Garshaw wanted to know.

"Yes, absolutely!" O'Neill gave her a smile. "We'll go somewhere he'll be welcome."

"Ice cream?" Lantash suggested, looking hopeful.

"As your Doctor, I'd prefer you ate something a little bit more healthy and nutritious." Janet said.

"You know, I think a _little_ ice cream would be a good idea - for all of us. Don't you, Teal'c?" O'Neill winked at the Jaffa.

Teal'c looked at him, uncomprehending, then decided O'Neill wanted his support. "Indeed."

"I think it's a _great_ idea, sir!" Sam said, smiling widely at O'Neill.

"Do you think they have melon-flavoured ice cream? I got that once at Cronos's court..." Garshaw said, enthusiastically.

"Melon-flavoured ice cream is very good." Daniel agreed. "But so is vanilla, and strawberry, and chocolate...and pistachio! And..."

"We get it. You like ice cream." O'Neill said, not unkindly. He ruffled Daniel's hair. "I think I know _just_ the place."

\-----  
The children fell asleep in the car, on their way back to the base, toys and clothing _everywhere_ around them. They had eaten a _lot_ of ice cream, so they would probably not want much more food for the rest of the day. Janet was still a bit disapproving, but she had had to agree the ice cream at O'Neill's 'secret place' had been very good.

Back on the base, Sam, Martouf, and Garshaw tiredly walked on their own from the car, but Daniel had to be carried, sleeping. The others looked at him, envious.

One of the biggest VIP rooms had been prepared for them, and O'Neill and the other adults brought them there while they carried all their stuff inside. For now, the room contained two large beds, which the children would share. If this turned out to be long-term, a bed for each would eventually be found.

O'Neill pulled the blanket aside and put the still sleeping Daniel down. The other children fell asleep as soon as they had thrown themselves on the beds. O'Neill and Janet gently helped them out of their boots and jackets, but decided against disturbing them any further, letting them sleep in the rest of their clothing. Janet arranged the blankets around them.

"They really _are_ cute." She observed, looking at the sleeping children.

"Yes, they are - when they're asleep. I can't believe how much trouble they are when they're awake." O'Neill said.

"It is difficult to understand these are the same people we know." Teal'c frowned.

"We'll have to hope _Anise_ figures out how to undo this." O'Neill rolled his eyes.

He and the others went outside into the corridor, shutting the door quietly to not wake up the kids. It was obvious they needed an afternoon nap. O'Neill felt as tired as they looked - perhaps he should sneak off and get some shut-eye as well?

"Ah, there you are. You are back, good." Hammond said, noticing them.

"Yes, sir." O'Neill felt his hope for a nice nap disappear.

"We've just returned, General." Janet said.

"Long trip." Hammond observed. "It's good you're back. The Tok'ra have sent a healer and one of the scientists from Anise's group. The healer would like to examine the children, and then we'll get an update on what the Tok'ra scientists have learned."

"The kids just fell asleep, sir. They're very tired. Even the _Tok'ra_ should be able to understand they need their sleep - especially since one of them is their councillor!" O'Neill pointed out.

"Yes, but it's _because_ one of them is their councillor that they're so eager to examine them. I'm sure you can appreciate that."

O'Neill nodded. "I guess." He still felt responsible for what had happened. He could always hope the Tok'ra found a way to reverse this. Not that he really had much faith in that.


	14. Chapter 14

A few hours later, in the briefing room.

The Tok'ra healer, Taheon, had finished his examination of the children and now reported his findings to Hammond and the others.

"I can tell you they are not clones, which we thought at first, but there are no deviations at all from the DNA on file. Also, Samantha Carter still has the naquadah Jolinar left in her, as well as protein markers. All the changes Jolinar made to her body chemistry seems to all still be there - such as heightened resistance to drugs and some diseases. It truly is as if all their bodies have simply been...de-aged. It is as if the time between their current age and their previous age simply never happened - except they have all the memories of it. For example, Doctor Jackson has his appendix again. Indeed none of them have any scars that were not there when they were children. Their telomeres are longer as well, in accordance with their current age. To sum it up; they are normal children in every way. "

Hammond nodded. "So it's as Doctor Fraiser expected. Can it be reversed?"

"No, not unless the alien machine can be made to reverse the effect."

"One thing puzzled me..." Janet said. "How come the symbiotes did not have access to their genetic memories - at first, I mean, when they all had amnesia. That should have been available to them, even if their...'normal' memories were not. Is that not correct?"

"They still only have very limited access to that. Genetic memory becomes available slowly, as the symbiotes grow up. This early they have access to very little except languages and a few other things."

"Tell us what Anise's team has found out about the device?" O'Neill demanded.

"She only has preliminary findings, but she has managed to translate some more of the texts that were found. Apparently, the population on the planet had met with some kind of catastrophe, that left them unable to procreate. There are some comments that seems to indicate they knew the dangers of long-term cloning and so they chose another way to keep themselves alive until they could find a way to cure the genetic damage. The entire population used devices such as the one you found, every time they grew old, rejuvenating themselves while their scientists worked hard on a solution. There is no obvious way to reverse the effect - indeed, there is nothing _to_ reverse, since their bodies are as if the years never happened. However, Anise is working to determine if it can be rewired, enabling us to return our people and yours to adult-hood."

"And if she fails?" Hammond asked.

"Then only time will return them to their previous state."

"Meaning they'll have to grow up again?" O'Neill asked.

"Yes."

"Tell Anise we're counting on her to solve this." Hammond said.

\-----  
After being examined by the Tok'ra healer, the children had gone back to sleep. Now, several hours later, they were again awake and wanted to know what the Tok'ra had found out. Janet quickly related what had been said at the debriefing.

"So we'll probably have to stay like this until we grow up again? I'll have to be a _teenager_ again?" Daniel looked dismayed.

"I thought you _liked_ being a kid." Sam said. "LEGO, remember?"

"Oh, I do. For a _while_. I don't think I want it like _this_."

Sam shrugged. "Suit yourself." She went to help Janet convince Yosuuf to get out of bed, so they could go and get some dinner before it was time to go to sleep again.

Lantash suddenly smiled widely. "Martouf just reminded me there's at least _one_ good thing about this."

"Oh, and that is? Besides the toys, of course."

"Besides the toys - and they're a pretty good reason. You see, if we all have to grow up again, O'Neill won't be a rival! For me and Martouf. O'Neill will be _retired_ before Samantha is ready to take a mate. And Martouf and I will have an _excellent_ chance of wooing Samantha when we grow up. At least she won't worry about us not knowing each other well enough anymore!" He looked happy.

Daniel shrugged. "You're probably right. Good for you. Looks like Sam got Yosuuf to get up. Come, lets go eat!"

\-----  
"Good night - sleep tight!" Janet smiled.

"We'll be back tomorrow. Remember, you can call for help if you need it." O'Neill pointed to the communications system.

"We know. Thanks."

"Good night." Teal'c bowed his head.

The door closed behind the adults. Sam immediately sat up in bed. "I'm not tired. What about you guys?"

"Not me!" Martouf proclaimed. "And Lantash is awake also."

"I'm not tired!" Daniel said. "I want to play with my new toys!"

"Yosuuf? Garshaw?" Sam inquired.

"We're not tired too!"

"Okay. Great!" Sam jumped out of bed and put on her new slippers. She looked down herself, contemplating her new batman pyjamas. She decided it would be enough to keep her warm. "Let's play!"

They spent a few hours building a large LEGO representation of a Goa'uld fortress, complete with a ha'tak that could drive around the room and be controlled via remote. The bricks were too heavy for it to be able to fly, much to their chagrin.

"Let's do something else for a while." Lantash said, after their fourth failed attempt to make the ha'tak fly.

"What'd you like to do?" Daniel asked.

"Go exploring?" Sam suggested.

"Mister Fluffy and I would like to accompany you!" Yosuuf said. "And so would Garshaw."

They opened the door and Sam stuck her head out.

"It looks quiet."

"There's usually no guards on this floor at night unless we have important guests, are there?" Daniel said.

"No, but you can't be too careful." Sam snuck out, the others following. "Besides, Teal'c's quarters are here."

"Good thing he doesn't have Junior anymore." Daniel mused. "Or he'd not have to sleep. He'd hear us for sure."

"We'll be quiet." Sam assured him.

"What are we looking for?" Martouf wondered.

"Candy. Cookies. Soft drinks." Sam grinned. "I thought we could have a party. I know there's a room on this floor where they keep it for when there's visitors, and there must have be some leftovers from when the Langarans visited recently. Don't you remember the send-off party?" She looked at Daniel.

"Oh, yeah." He smiled widely. "That was the good stuff! Let's check."

\-----  
"Did you get the plastic cups?" Sam said as she tried to open the huge plastic bottle. She found she was not strong enough to unscrew the cap.

"Yes." Garshaw said. She began putting them out on the table, one by one, in neat rows.

"Let me help you, Samantha." Lantash said. He took the bottle from her and tried opening it. He then put it down on the floor. "Hold on to the bottle, so I can twist off the cap."

"Okay."

Sam held onto the bottle as tightly as she could, while Lantash grabbed the cap hard. Nothing happened at first. Not giving up, he gripped so hard his knuckles turned white, and finally he was rewarded with a hissing sound coming from the bottle as he managed to open it. He looked at his hands and winced at the pain, but the damage was minimal and it only took him seconds to heal.

"Next bottle." He said.

This way they got three bottles opened, before they decided it was enough for now. They contained cola, root beer, and orange soda. Lantash carefully carried them to the table, one at a time, where Garshaw had finished putting out the cups and had begun to fill some of them with colourful liquids. She stood on a chair and poured very carefully.

"What's that you've found?" Daniel asked. He had just finished opening the last of the many bags of candy and packages of chocolate, and put the contents into plastic bowl.

"No idea. I thought it was some sort of liquid candy? Juice or syrup, perhaps?" Garshaw said. "It has pretty colours!"

"How does it taste?" Lantash asked.

"No idea. I have not tried any of it yet. I wanted to wait for the rest of you."

Lantash nodded. "We're here now."

He looked at the glass bottles on the table. The contents really _did_ have pretty colours. Pale green, blue, brown, yellow... He took a cup and studied the content. He experimentally slushed it around a little. The liquid was blue and thick and syrup-y. He took a small sip.

"How does it taste?" Daniel wanted to know.

"Sweet. Very sweet...a little like orange, but spicy." He frowned. "It's alcoholic."

"Really?" Garshaw took a glass containing a light green fluid. She tasted it. "Mint...and yes, alcohol."

Sam joined them. "Are you guys crazy? Those are liqueurs! Alcohol! We're not supposed to drink _that_!"

"Says _who_? Neither Jack nor Janet said we couldn't!" Daniel challenged. He had found a glass with a dark brown liquid which he was sipping. "This tastes coffee-y. Ummm. It's Kahlua, I think." He checked the label on the bottle. "Yep."

"That's because they didn't know we'd _find_ any!"

"OK, we'll only drink a little of it..." Lantash said.

"It doesn't taste very strong at all." Daniel said. "Are you sure we'll even get drunk from this?"

"We will." Lantash confirmed. "It's pretty strong. Even _I_ will get drunk if I drink more than a little of it. I can't filter as well as when I'm an adult, and Martouf is a child too, so..."

Sam sighed. "I guess we can drink a little - as long as we just drink lots of soda and eat lots of candy to counteract it! It hits harder on an empty stomach!" She decided as she grabbed a glass of the blue liqueur together with a glass of cola. She carefully put them down in front of her, then grabbed one of the bowls of candy.

"Sounds reasonable." The others shrugged and sat down to follow her advice.


	15. Chapter 15

"Perhaps we should wait - it's still early and they're probably tired from yesterday." O'Neill said, when no one had answered their knock on the door.

"I want to see my little girl is okay - I can't believe what you're telling me happened is true." He shook his head. "It sounds crazy."

"It's true, Jacob. Unfortunately." Hammond confirmed.

"Well, look at it this way, Jacob, you'll get to raise her all over again." O'Neill grinned.

"Are you implying I didn't do a good enough job of it the first time?" He gave O'Neill a hard look. It was obvious he was not in the mood for humour.

"Ehh, that's not what I meant." O'Neill smiled sheepishly.

"Good." Jacob nodded, then opened the door.

He stepped into the semi-darkness, as the room was only illuminated by the night lights. He pushed the switch and flooded the room with light.

"What the _devil_ happened here?" Jacob exclaimed, looking over the place.

In one corner was a pile of empty candy bags and chocolate wrappers. Plastic cups and bowls were everywhere, and several opened bottles of soda stood on the table, except for one that lay on the - empty - bed that was closest to the door. He gaped at it all.

Recovering, Jacob took a couple steps into the room and spotted an empty bottle on the floor. Most of the contents must have run out, as there was a large, wet spot under the bottle, colouring the beige carpet light green there. He picked up the bottle and looked at the label.

"Creme de Menthe." He shook his head as he spotted several other bottles, all open, but thankfully still having most of their content, except a bottle of 'Blue Curacao' which was noticeably less full. He looked to the bed furthest from the door, where four children were sleeping closely together, none of them paying any attention to the adults.

"Crap." O'Neill said.

"Colonel? They were _your_ responsibility!" Hammond said angrily.

"I don't know how they even got their hands on _any_ of this stuff!" O'Neill said, incredulous.

"Jack!" Jacob turned to O'Neill, looking part furious, part disbelieving. "You let my little girl - and she _is_ little again..." He stopped to look at the sleeping, blond-haired girl, looking exactly as he remembered. "...you let her drink alcohol! You let _all_ of them drink alcohol! How old are they? Five? Six? Are you crazy? And all that candy and soft drinks can't be good for them either!"

"Dad?" Sam said sleepily. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Dad!" She smiled, then moaned. "My head hurts! And my tummy!"

Sam's movement woke up Martouf and Garshaw, who had been sleeping on either side of her. They both began to wake up slowly, looking as if they tried to remember where they were. Daniel just mumbled something and turned over on his other side, still sleeping.

"Kiddo..." Jacob looked at her, slowly shaking his head. "This is very strange..."

Sam crawled out of bed and went straight to Jacob, throwing her arms around his legs.

"Missed you!"

"I missed you too, sweetie..." He stroked her hair, again feeling the weirdness of the situation. "Are you okay?"

"My head hurts a little - and my tummy feels funny. I don't think I should've eaten seven bars of chocolate."

O'Neill winced and threw Hammond a quick glance. "Where did you even _get_ all that?"

"An unlocked closet in the supply room. We were exploring." Martouf said. He jumped out of bed too, going to Jacob. "Hello, Jacob."

"Martouf." Jacob nodded to him. The energy signature from a symbiote coupled with his appearance being enough to recognize him. Selmak noted in an amused tone that she found the clothed mouse on his pyjamas funny. Mickey Mouse, Jacob told her, distractedly, before addressing the child again. "Are you and Lantash okay?"

"We're fine - mostly." He touched his stomach. "Lantash already filtered out the alcohol, but we ate too much candy. He's fixing that now."

"Why were you all in the same bed?" O'Neill wondered.

"Daniel tipped over a large soda in the other, so we all decided to sleep in the other bed." Martouf said.

"Yeah, it was much nicer - and warmer." Sam said.

"Very nice - not at all like in the Jaffa." Garshaw agreed, smiling happily. "It's nice to have friends - and playmates." She got out of the bed as well, then looked around for her new stuffed toy. Finding it, she stepped up to Jacob.

"This is Mister Fluffy." She held out the plush rabbit. "He and I - and Yosuuf - are ready to return to our duties in the Tok'ra council."

Jacob looked at the little girl in the pink, ruffled nightgown, with a big happy kitten on the chest. "I...think it would be... _safer_ if you stayed here for now." He was not sure how to react. Besides, Selmak was laughing so hard in his head that it hurt.

\-----  
"Un-scheduled, off-world activation!" Harriman's voice sounded over the public announcement system.

Jacob hurried to the gateroom, telling Sam and the other children he would be back soon. He had been eating breakfast with them - not that they were very hungry after their late-night party - and had then returned to their quarters with them.

He had spent some time talking to them about what had happened. He had quickly realised it was true what the Tok'ra healers had found. They had all their memories, knowledge, personalities, feelings...everything was as their adult selves.

However, they seemed to access that knowledge as an afterthought, and reasoned and behaved in almost every way as children of six years of age would. Very smart six-year old children, but children nonetheless. Both he and Selmak agreed they would all be safer here at Stargate Command than at a Tok'ra base.

Sam might want her father around, but then he would just have to visit more often. It was simply too dangerous on a Tok'ra base - who knew when there would be a Goa'uld attack and they would have to evacuate? Besides, with no doors, there was also no way of keeping them out of laboratories with dangerous chemicals and such, and they had amply proven their ingenuity and will to explore and find what they wanted.

He hurried through the door, into the gateroom, shortly after the Stargate had shut down and the guests - Tok'ra - had already descended the ramp. Hammond was greeting them, together with an apprehensive looking O'Neill.

Both Jacob and Selmak felt their hearts sink when they saw the little blond-haired girl with the Tok'ra, wearing what looked like a too big, oddly-shaped, shirt. That is, it was too wide, but not too long. It must have been too short to cover her stomach before. She held on to her skirt to keep it up. It, also, was too wide, but too long.

O'Neill and Hammond both looked at the little girl with some trepidation.

One of the adult Tok'ra - Malek - stepped forward.

"We bring you information uncovered about the alien device on the planet you have designated P3X-739. Also, this Anise and Freya, the...leader of our group of scientists. I believe you have met. The council has decided she will benefit from staying with...with the other children." Malek looked guilty. "The tunnels are not a safe place for children, and someone would have to be assigned to look after her. No one can be spared for that duty just now."

Jacob smiled at Selmak's comment about Freya's clothing _almost_ fitting her better now.

"So, you're just going to dump _more_ of your problems on us? Why am I not surprised?" O'Neill rolled his eyes.

"That is _not_ nice! _I_ was trying to _help_!" Anise pouted.

"We will of course take care of Anise and Freya." Hammond said, quickly. "You said you had found more information about the machine?"

" _I_ was the one to find it!" Anise proclaimed, proudly.

"Yes." Malek agreed. "She was in charge of the mission and had manage to uncover several things before she...um...accidentally activated it."

"If you will all come this way. Doctor Fraiser and several of our scientists will be very interested to hear what you have learned." Hammond turned to O'Neill. "Perhaps you could take Anise and Freya to the quarters the other children are sharing?"

"Yes, sir." O'Neill said, looking less than thrilled.

"No! _I_ am the scientist in charge, so _I_ will be at the meeting!"

Hammond sighed and looked at her for a moment. "Very well. Follow me."


	16. Chapter 16

"Could I have a little help, please?" Anise asked, trying to crawl up on the large chair. She slid down again, her too-large dress not helping.

O'Neill sighed and lifted her up, putting her down on the chair, then pushing it up to the table.

"Thank you." She took out a Tok'ra hand-held computer and typed a few commands on it, then put it down on the table.

"If everyone is ready, I'd like to start the meeting." Hammond said. 

Doctor Fraiser and several SGC scientists were there as well, together with the Tok'ra. Everyone nodded they were ready.

Anise and the other Tok'ra scientists began going through what they had found, as well as the contents of the extra texts they had gotten translated before the device had been activated.

At least, only Anise and Freya had been affected this time. She had been the only one in the laboratory when the machine activated, though Malek had been in the room outside. This meant the device had a relatively short range.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter!" Hammond said.

A soldier stood outside, together with a little dark-haired girl, carrying a large fluffy white rabbit and clutching a piece of paper.

"Sir, she insisted on attending the meeting." He looked apologetic.

"I am Garshaw of Belote. Grand Councillor of the Tok'ra! It is my _right_ to par...participate!" She demanded.

Hammond sighed. "Why not! Come in!"

Garshaw smiled and walked up to him, presenting him with a drawing.

"Thank you. This is for you to show my...appreciation...and because your office is boring."

Hammond heard several of the people present attempt to suppress a giggle. He ignored them and looked at the picture. It showed a field with several rabbits, one of them munching on a carrot. There was also a girl with dark hair and a very pink dress. He smiled.

"Thank you, Garshaw. This will look nice on my wall."

She smiled back at him and turned to the others. She noticed Malek. "You may continue your explanations."

With a slight bow to Garshaw, Malek - and Anise - continued their recounts of what had been found.

They had confirmed the machine was not meant to work in reverse, though they had now learned enough about it to be fairly certain it was _possible_ to reverse the effect. The Tok'ra would continue their study, but they would be more careful this time.

The Tok'ra also had learned a little more about the history of the people who had built the machine. The damage to their DNA, which had prevented them from procreating, had been caused by a weapon - apparently fired by themselves during a war between two or more factions on their world.

Eventually their scientists had succeeded, and the damage had been repaired. Not long after they had been attacked by the Goa'uld. Since they had become dedicated to pacifism after their near-extinction, they had few weapons. They had made the decision to flee, and seemed to have succeeded. However, if they were still out there, no one knew where.

Presumably, the Goa'uld who had conquered the planet had been the one to seal the laboratory and add the inscriptions - likely after someone had suffered the effects of the device.

"General Hammond." Garshaw suddenly called out.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can I play with this red device?" She lifted the receiver. "It is pretty."

"Put that down!"

Garshaw quickly did, scared. "Sorry!"

"It's just...it's a telephone. A communications device. That one is used specifically to call the president of this country." Hammond explained.

"Oh..." Garshaw looked thoughtful. "Can Mister Fluffy and I call him? We would like to greet him."

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Please?"

"Can I have a rabbit like Garshaw's?" Anise suddenly asked.

It was all starting to get on O'Neill's nerves!

Jacob had chewed him out for not looking after the kids and letting them drink alcohol. Then he had been forced to clean up the VIP quarters. He still had a nagging guilty feeling over leaving Daniel and the others alone on P3X-739. He _was_ in charge and so he felt her was responsible to some degree...and now all the Tok'ra were being difficult and there did not seem to be _any_ signs of progress in their research.

Besides, he had slept badly tonight, since his leg hurt from all the walking in the shopping mall yesterday. Somehow that was worse than walking on the softer ground of alien planets. All of a sudden, it just became too much for him.

"Can't you damn snakes just shut up for a moment so we can get on with the debrief? Some of us would like to _get out_ of here _today_!"

"I'm not a snake!" Garshaw said, immediately beginning to cry.

Anise started sniffling as well, and Freya took over control. She kicked O'Neill under the table. "Don't make them cry! Bad Jack O'Neill!"

O'Neill stared at her for a moment, then looked at Hammond, who seemed to be displeased.

"Colonel, please give some more thought to your words before you say them."

O'Neill shook his head, looking a bit bashful. Whatever else he felt about the Tok'ra, the children were not to blame for being children, and behaving that way. "Sorry. All of this...it was just getting to me..." He looked at Garshaw and then Freya. "I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean it."

"Thank you!" Garshaw jumped from her chair and over to him, throwing her arms around the part of him she could reach.


	17. Chapter 17

"Shouldn't we stay in the room?" Daniel wondered.

"Nah, I'm not gonna sit there while they put in extra beds and move everything around." Sam finished tying her roller-skates and gingerly stood up. "Whoa!" She waved her arms frantically for a moment, then regained her balance. "Come on! Put on yours and let's race each other in the corridors!"

"Okay." Martouf said, grabbing his and sitting down to put them on.

Daniel shrugged and did the same. When they were all ready, they slowly, carefully - while grabbing hold of everything they could reach - made their way into the corridor. Going out, they met the group of soldiers bringing in the bed.

"Hiya, kids! Whoa! Careful!" The man grinned. "Looks kinda unstable!"

Daniel grinned back, then waved his arms wildly as he almost fell.

"Watch it!" The nearest soldier steadied him. "You guys sure this is such a good idea?"

"Absolutely!" Sam stated, then took off down the corridor.

"OK - suit yourselves!" The men shrugged and went on with their work. They smiled a little amongst themselves, as Daniel and Martouf slowly rolled off in the same direction Sam had left in. It was obvious neither of them had any experience with roller-skates, but equally obvious they were not going to admit it.

After rolling back and forth in the corridors for more than an hour - and falling several times - all of them had become quite proficient. They were currently engaged in a game of 'tag', when someone stepped out of the elevator, right in front of Sam.

She rolled straight into him, followed by Martouf, who was unable to stop as well. Daniel narrowly avoided the same fate, but the effort to do so destabilised him and he crashed to the floor seconds later. He immediately began crying.

"Sorry, sir!" Sam said, looking up to see Hammond. She quickly disentangled herself.

"Yeah, sorry. General." Martouf said, trying to straighten himself and move away from Hammond. In the process of doing so, he almost fell and ended up crashing into Hammond again. The General grabbed hold of the boy and steadied him, amused.

O'Neill had hurried over to Daniel, who was by now trying to get up, still sniffling a little. He helped him get up and made sure he was steady before he let go.

"Why don't you have any protective gear on!" Jacob exclaimed, hurrying over to Sam, to see if she was all right.

O'Neill looked between them. " _Neither_ of you are wearing it. I _explicitly_ told you _no_ rollerskating without it!"

"Sorry, sir." Sam looked bashful. "Sorry, Dad!" She looked up at Jacob.

"We forgot." Lantash said, having taken over from Martouf. He was slightly better at keeping his balance on the wheels.

"Colonel. I thought I told you to make sure the kids didn't play in the corridors - or hurt themselves." Hammond said.

"Yes, sir. I _did_ tell them." He sighed. "Making them _listen_ is quite a different thing."

"Can I have a pair of those wheel-shoes also?" Anise said, excitedly. "They look like great fun!"

"They're called roller-skates." Lantash told her.

"You can borrow mine if you want to." Yosuuf exited the elevator after Anise. "I tried them once, and I cannot keep my balance. I do _not_ think they are funny."

"Who are you?" Sam asked.

"Anise. Aren't you?" Daniel said. "Something went wrong when you examined the device."

Lantash nodded. "I think so also."

She nodded. "Yes. I'm Anise. The alien machine activated unexpectedly. I'm going to stay with you." She informed them.

"You're very welcome!" Daniel smiled widely.

"She needs toys too!" Sam suddenly said. She turned to Anise. "You should ask for LEGO. We need _much_ more for our model of Anubis's lair."


	18. Chapter 18

Several weeks had now passed, and they had begun to settle into this new life. O'Neill was in charge of the children, with Teal'c helping whenever he was not on some temporary assignment with another SG-team. Janet would also join them now and then.

O'Neill had to admit they were pretty cute and sweet most of the time. That did not mean they could not cause mischief from time to time, but it was usually not on purpose. They merely played and forgot about some rule or did not realise what the consequences of an action would be. Much like normal children - just _very_ smart and _knowledgeable_ children.

Like when he came into his office and they were playing some kind of game involving plastic dinosaurs and water guns. It was fortunate he had not gotten much of his report written yet, because every piece of paper in the room was soaked.

Sometimes laziness can be a saviour, he mused.

Or two days ago, when he, Teal'c, and Janet had been called to a meeting with Hammond to get the newest update from the Tok'ra. The children had somehow gotten into the meeting room, and had been playing there. However, they obediently left with the airman sent to escort them to their room, when Hammond and the others arrived.

Then Hammond had come into the room and sat down on a chair. A familiar sound could immediately be heard and Hammond got a strange expression. He rose again and checked the chair, retrieving a - whoopee cushion!

"How did _this_ get here!" Hammond demanded, angrily.

O'Neill unsuccessfully attempted to swallow a grin. "No idea, sir." He sat down - only to be rewarded by the same sound as had just come from Hammond's chair.

Teal'c had lifted an eyebrow, but not said anything, while Hammond had looked stern. All of a sudden his expression had softened and he had started to laugh. He had thrown the prank toy to O'Neill.

"Kindly make sure the kids understand this prank was fun _once_ , but they better not repeat it!"

-  
O'Neill smiled a little at the memory of that.

Then there was yesterday, when Janet had somehow tripped an elaborate trap the little terrorists had set - and a bucket-full of plastic spiders, snakes, and various other plastic critters fell all over her. She had made a satisfactory scream, O'Neill would have to admit that, but _boy_ had she been angry. He felt certain none of the children would _ever_ attempt anything like that again.

Today had been a busy day for him, since Hammond had demanded he finally finish several reports that should have been done weeks ago.

He had spent most of the day in his office. When his stomach growled he suddenly - to his horror - realised it was two hours past dinner time! He jumped up and was about to run for the children's quarters, as they were probably very hungry by now, when his intercom beeped.

"O'Neill here."

"This is Hammond. The guard on duty just informed me there's a delivery man waiting outside, demanding to be paid for the pizza, Coca Cola, and ice cream _you_ ordered. Do you know anything about that?"

"Nothing, sir...eh...that is, I think I can guess."

"So can I. Kindly take care of it and make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes, sir."

With a deep sigh O'Neill hung up and went to take the elevator to the surface to pick up the food. At least the children were resourceful. He had to give them that. He would not have to worry about them starving! He hoped they had at least bought enough pizza for him as well. He was getting very hungry. 

-  
O'Neill pushed open the door, using an elbow, since his arms were full.

"I brought your pizzas and other stuff. I realise I was running late, so it's okay this time, but next time please..." He put the large load down on the table and sat the bag with the soda and ice cream on the floor. " _Ask_ me first..." He gaped at the children, who were standing in their messy beds, their faces completely hidden under some sort of paint. His first thought was that he hoped it was water based. They all wore what looked like rags, painted with more of the same colour. "What the..."

"We're Thilgrarians." Martouf explained.

"They can fly." Sam added. "At least they're supposed to."

"What the _hell_ are Telegrams...or something?" O'Neill exclaimed, angrily. "And why are you jumping on the beds - dressed in rags and painted in the face."

"They are a race of Avians sapients, made extinct by the Goa'uld more than 1000 years ago." Daniel explained.

"Garshaw says she's seen one, once!" Sam added excited.

"I have."

"These... _rags_ should look like their feathers. Don't you think they do?" Daniel asked.

"We made them from some old sheets we got from Janet." Sam told him. "She said we could play with them. We painted them ourselves!"

"I doubt she meant you could shred them!" O'Neill shook his head. "Go to the bathroom and clean up. Now!"

"I'm hungry..." Daniel whined.

"I'm hungry too!" Martouf complained. "...and so is Lantash. _Very_ hungry!"

" _Wash_ your faces first." O'Neill took another look at them, then shook his head again. "I'll put out plates and stuff, then we can eat."


	19. Chapter 19

It was Saturday morning and today O'Neill had promised the children he would take them to the ZOO. Teal'c had agreed to come - to help out - but mostly because he was genuinly interested seeing what a 'ZOO' was. Janet had decided to come as well, as the weather was good and it had been a long time since she had a day off. Besides, O'Neill suspected she thought it was funny to see what mischief the children would get up to _this_ time.

They loaded the children into the same Humvee they had used for the shopping trip and drove to 'Cheyenne Mountain Zoo'. The trip took less than half an hour, and the children happily jumped out of the car and excitedly pulled at the adults, trying to get them to walk faster.

O'Neill handed the cashier the money and got the tickets. The children studied the exchange closely.

"Lantash wants a ticket too." Martouf said.

"He doesn't need one." O'Neill turned to the cashier. "Lantash is his...um...invisible friend." He hurriedly pushed the children through the gate before they said anything further.

"Why did you pay full price for Teal'c? He's above 64 so he should have gotten in cheaper." Sam pointed out.

"I don't think the nice lady would have believed Teal'c is more than a hundred, honey." Janet smiled and ruffled Sam's hair.

Sam nodded. "Okay." She looked at Teal'c. "I guess that's true."

"What do you want to see first? Do you have any favourite animals?" O'Neill asked them.

"I like dragons." Daniel said.

"And dinosaurs!" Sam added, excitedly.

"I don't think they have any of those." O'Neill smiled. "Any others? Preferably real _and_ non-extinct?"

"Dragons are real. There are little flying dragons on Silkana." Freya pointed out.

"Wauw. Do they breathe fire?" Daniel wanted to know.

"No...I don't think so..." Freya wrinkled her brow. "Maybe..." She concluded.

"They're having some sort of leopard showing in ten minutes. Would you like to see that?" Janet suggested.

"Leopards are cool." Sam agreed.

"We'd like to see it!" Martouf said.

"Okay, let's hurry then!"

\-----  
"The leopards were cute!" Freya said.

"Yeah, I wish they'd let us pet them." Daniel agreed.

"I just think they looked hungry." O'Neill said, happy they were away from the big cats.

He remembered the leopard he had seen one night, many years ago, while he was trying to get out of enemy territory after parachuting out somewhere near the border between Iran and Iraq. True, it had been a Persian leopard instead of an Amur leopard, but in his book a leopard was a leopard and he was sure they would both consider him equally tasty. He shuddered.

"If you wish to see hungry predators, then there seems to be wolf-feeding and mountain lion-feeding later today. perhaps you would enjoy those, O'Neill." Teal'c said, reading a note.

"Yaaay! Wolves!" Sam did a little dance.

"And mountain lions!" Daniel added, looking excited.

"What are mountain lions?" Martouf wanted to know, looking interested.

"Teal'c!" O'Neill hid his face in his palm. "I _don't_ want to be anywhere _near_ eating predators!"

"I'm hungry!" Anise said. "And technically, symbiotes are predators...at least we _were_ until we became...symbiotic lifeforms...or are we both?" She scrunched her face as she thought hard.

"If anyone else is hungry, maybe we should go and get a snack before seeing the next animal?" Janet suggested, quickly.

"Anise, you're not supposed to use the distortion when we're in a public place!" Lantash said.

"Neither are you, young man!" Janet said, ruffling his hair.

"Sorry."

\-----  
A blueberry muffin later, they stood outside the food court, feeling better.

"So, what do you want to see now?" Janet wondered.

"Have you decided which animal is your favourite?" O'Neill asked. "Given the criteria from before!"  He added.

Sam nodded. "Wolves."

"I liked the leopards." Freya said. "But Anise would like to see some tigers."

"We're seeing the wolves getting fed later, Sam, so let's find the tigers." Janet smiled.

O'Neill groaned, but did not complain. This was a day for the children - and besides - the cages seemed reasonably sturdy.

After watching the tigers - for a _very_ long time, since the tigers had cubs that were adorable - they finally left for the next animal.

"Daniel?" Janet inquired.

"I still want to see dragons..." He pouted.

"No dragons, what else?" O'Neill said.

"Actually, I think they have Komodo dragons - and bearded dragons. It's not the same, but..." Janet shrugged.

Daniel nodded. "I'd like to see them!"

"Can we go in there afterwards?" Martouf pointed. "It says you can feed the...budgies...? Whatever _that_ is... There's a picture of birdies!"

"It's a kind of parakeet - and it's in the same place as the bearded dragons, so let's go there now." Janet said.

It turned out they were allowed to walk among the birds and feed them seed sticks - for a small fee. Looking slightly unhappy, O'Neill paid for all of them.

They ended up having a great time, despite Teal'c deciding the birds were evil when they kept landing on him and trying to pull his cap off. He insisted they were working with the NID to expose him.

"It was fun! Can we do it again?" Daniel said, excitedly.

"No." Teal'c answered, glaring in the direction of the aviary.

Daniel sighed and followed the others in the direction of the promised bearded 'dragons'. He hoped they were bigger than the ones he remembered from the short trip to Australia he had once done.

\-----  
"Oh, see, _pony_ rides! And a carousel!" Sam's eyes shone.

"I wanna go see the Komodo dragon! Now!" Daniel demanded. The bearded dragons had been as small as he remembered, and a big disappointment.

"Lantash is pulling my hair!" Sam complained.

"No, I'm not! I was removing a large multi-legged creature! I think you call it a spider."

Sam screamed and starting dancing around, using her hands to claw at her hair. "Is it gone? Is it gone?"

"It's gone. Look!" He pointed to the ground. "You stepped on it, several times."

Sam nervously studied the flat and very dead spider. "Good."

"Well, after this little scare, perhaps we should do something relaxing. Why don't we go see some fishies?" O'Neill suggested.

"Fish are boring." Daniel declared.

"Not if you've _ever_ experienced being chased by one when you were little!" Lantash argued. "Are the fish big?" He asked O'Neill.

"No idea." O'Neill said. "And remember the voice, _please_." He quickly glanced around. No one seemed to have noticed.

"You don't need to worry about being eaten. Not this time. You're wearing your Martouf-protective clothing!" Sam grinned.

"We don't consider our hosts 'clothing'." Lantash said, sounding insulted.

"Sorry!" Sam gave him a hug. She smiled, a little sneakily. "Why don't we all go to the pony rides?"

\-----  
"Lantash would like to see some ravens!" Martouf said.

"Do they have owls? I had an owl when I was..." Garshaw blushed. "Um...a long time ago."

Teal'c looked at the map. "Yes, it would seem so. They have both here." He pointed.

"Ohh, that's near the petting ZOO!" Sam exclaimed, looking at the map as well. "Can we go there afterwards?"

"What's a petting ZOO?" Yosuuf wanted to know.

"It's a place were they have goats and rabbits and such - AND YOU'RE ALLOWED TO TOUCH THEM!" Sam cried ecstatically.

"I wanna go there!" Yosuuf said. "And so does Mister Fluffy!" She waved the big rabbit she had insisted on carrying along.

"We'll go there as soon as we've seen the ravens and the owls. OK?" Janet decided. "It's just across there."

They took the children into a large building.

"It's quite warm in here." Anise remarked.

"Many of the animals in here need higher temperatures to live." Daniel explained to her. 

She nodded, accepting that.

"Sweet! Can I have one of these? Please!" Sam pressed her nose flat against the glass. "It's sooooo pretty!"

"Yikes!" O'Neill yanked her away from the glass. "Are you crazy? It's _deadly_! _Very_ venomous!""

"It's not!" Sam argued, offended. "One of my friends had one when I was a kid, but Dad wouldn't let me have one!"

"It's a Coral snake!"

"Nope! Milk snake. 'Red on yellow kills a fellow, red on black, OK Jack'." Daniel read. "Haha - _Jack_!" He giggled.

"See? " Sam looked at O'Neill, proudly.

"Whatever. No snakes for you, young lady." He pushed her over to the other children who were currently studying some tiny, burrowing owls.

\-----  
After a - very long, O'Neill thought - trip to the petting ZOO, they had all become hungry. Hungry enough that all but Anise and Garshaw were easy to pull away from the cute animals. It did not take much persuasion to get them to come, though, when Daniel began talking about food.

While they were eating, Anise suddenly discovered her shoes were missing some decorative ribbons that had been there earlier. Upon closer study, it was obvious they had been gnawed off.

"The goats probably ate them." O'Neill concluded. "The damn bastards _always_ eats _some_ part of your clothing while you're not looking!"

"I want my ribbons back!"

"They're _eaten_ , I can't do anything about it. You just have to be more careful with your stuff around goats!"

Anise started crying. "I want my mother!"

"Your _mother_!" O'Neill stared at her, incredulous.

"Egeria." Teal'c reminded him.

"Oh...she's dead." He immediately realised the error in reminding her of that.

Anise cried louder and Lantash began crying as well, suddenly remembering Egeria was dead.

"What's wrong?" Janet asked, just coming back from the bathroom. "What did you do?" She looked accusingly at O'Neill, then leaned down to hug both Anise and Lantash.

"He told them their mommy is dead!" Sam looked accusingly at O'Neill.

"Listen...I'm _sorry_ , but it's not like they didn't know!"

"They had probably forgotten. You _know_ the kids don't always recall everything, even if they have all the memories!" Janet said. She stroked the hair of both Anise and Lantash. "Don't cry, sweeties. He didn't mean to say it like that." She sighed. "I have an idea...why don't we get you some ice cream?"

" _You're_ suggesting ice cream? Is something wrong?" O'Neill wondered, sarcastically.

Janet ignored him. "Would you like ice cream?"

First Anise, then Lantash nodded.

"Good, then let's get you some!"

"I want ice cream too!" Sam looked pleadingly at Janet.

"And me!" Daniel said, hopefully. "Please?"

"Me, me too!" Yosuuf smiled.

"Okay, ice cream for everyone!" O'Neill smiled. "Including the adults. Teal'c?"

"No, thank you! It is a cold and unpleasant dish."

"Ice cream for most of us, then."

Later, when they had eaten their ice cream, all the children looked much happier. However, when they were just about to leave the cafeteria, Anise gave her shoes another unhappy look.

O'Neill noticed it, and thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled, getting an idea.

"Anise." He put an arm around her. "I have an idea. I have a small picket fence at my cabin. It really needs painting. If you help me, I will buy you a pair of new shoes for you in return. What do you say?"

Anise smiled eagerly. "Yes! I will help you!"

"Good! That's a deal, then!"

\-----  
They spent several more hours at the ZOO, before the children - and the adults - got so tired they decided to call it a day. They slowly walked towards the exit, when Daniel noticed a sign.

"Meerkats!" He said, excitedly. "Can we go look at them?" He took Janet's hand and began pulling her in the right direction. "Please?"

"Yes, can we? Please? They're so cute!" Sam begged as well.

The Tok'ra had no idea what meerkats were, but immediately took up Daniel and Sam's cause and began arguing they should go see them.

"Oh, well. Let's go see the little critters, then." O'Neill said, giving in.

Janet allowed Daniel to pull her in the right direction, and Teal'c followed. Suddenly, he felt something touch the top of his head, and his cap disappeared.

Looking up, Teal'c spotted a giraffe slowly munching on his head gear.

"O'Neill. We have a problem."

"What is it, Teal'c?"

"One of the long-necked creatures decided my hat would make an agreeable meal. How do you suggest I recover it?"

O'Neill eyed the giraffe and then the fence. The giraffe calmly continued munching.

"It's called a giraffe...and I'm...not sure, actually..."

"I think it's easier if we get you a new cap, Teal'c." Janet smiled. "You can borrow my scarf for now."

Teal'c looked decidedly uncomfortable with the idea, but allowed Janet to wrap it around his head, hiding his tattoo.

"Let me say, Teal'c, from the bottom of my heart...hot pink is _definitely_ your colour!" O'Neill grinned widely.

"I find your lack of creativity highly disturbing."

"Aw, come on - lighten up!"

\-----  
"Okay, _one_ thing each. And I do mean _one_ thing - not _two_ things, or _three_ things, or whatever you think you can get away with!" O'Neill warned, about to let them loose on the gift shop, strategically located just before the exit.

"One thing per _person_ , right?" Lantash asked, hopefully.

"Otherwise, who gets to choose?" Yosuuf wanted to know.

"One thing per person. Hurry up! My knee is starting to bother me again."

"It sounds like you should come on down to the infirmary when we get back. Have you been resting it as I told you to? And are you wearing the knee support I gave you?" Janet said, giving him a stern look.

Giggling, the children dispersed in the store, not feeling the need to stay and wait for O'Neill's answer to _that_.


	20. Chapter 20

"You know, Teal'c, I'm beginning to wonder if it had been easier if we'd just taken those temporary placements on other teams instead of _this_!" O'Neill said.

They had just entered the recreation room, to find Sam, Martouf/Lantash, and Anise/Freya gathered around a big table where a large amount of electric parts were spread out. It was difficult to tell what it was, but from the missing stereo, O'Neill suspected that was what it was. Or had been. It seemed they had almost gotten it down to its individual components.

Sam looked up to see him. "Sir." She looked a bit guilty.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"Sorry, sir, but we were listening to some music on the radio, and we couldn't get a good signal."

"Probably because the signal have to go through lots of rock." Martouf added.

"Yeah, so we thought we'd try to enhance the reception..." Sam said.

"We need a liquid naquadah power cell, better conductors, probably a receiver crystal, and..." Anise began.

O'Neill interrupted her. "And do you _have_ any of those parts?"

"Um...no." She looked guilty.

O'Neill sighed deeply.

"Can you put it all together? Like _quickly_? There's a party organised in here in three hours and the guys wanna come in and start setting up _now_!"

"Ehh...we...like...have been trying to. For almost an hour." Sam looked down.

"We'll get it done, sir." Martouf said, quickly.

"Do that." He turned and left together with Teal'c.

\-----  
"Kids! I have some fun news! Hammond's invited us to spend the weekend at his house!" O'Neill said, entering the VIP quarters. "And Hammond has a biiiiiig garden you can play in!"

"YAAAAAY!" Everyone screamed enthusiastically.

"He has grand kids, right? Will they be there?" Sam wanted to know.

"Two, as far as I know. Yes, they'll be there, but I think they're a bit too old to wanna play with you." O'Neill smiled, then sobered. "Listen, you'll have to give us your word not to talk about anything _alien_ , okay?"

"What do you mean?" Freya asked.

"You can't mention the Stargate - that's just a _big_ no-no - and please no flashing your eyes or using the boom-box voice, okay?" He ruffled her hair affectionately.

"I don't have a boom-box voice, do I?" Lantash said.

"Well, I guess that's not really an accurate description...at least not while you're a kid." He smiled again. "You know what I mean, right?"

"Yes, I do. I'll do my best not to. Sir!" Lantash saluted him.

O'Neill shook his head and slapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you will, son."

\-----  
"Welcome, kids." Hammond said, opening the door. "Jacob, Teal'c...Jack."

"Hi..." Sam said, looking around a little uneasily.

The other children entered after her, even more subdued. Jacob followed, together with O'Neill and Teal'c.

"Hi, George." Jacob shook his friends hand.

"This is Tessa and Kayla." Hammond presented the two girls in the room. They smiled, a little shyly, at all the guests.

"Hi, Tessa and Kayla!" Daniel greeted politely. "I'm Daniel, and I'm 6!"

Kayla smiled. "Hi, Daniel. I'm 10." She looked at him as if she felt a _lot_ older and wiser than him.

"And I'm 11, but _almost_ 12." Tessa told them.

Martouf greeted them with the typical Tok'ra half-bow, holding his hands together before his chest. Freya and Yosuuf repeated the gesture, making Hammond's grandchildren giggle.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Tessa said.

"No..." Martouf glanced quickly at O'Neill, then remembered the cover story. "I am from...Canada."

Tessa and Kayla apparently accepted that.

"Why don't you show them the house and the garden while we grown-ups talk?" Hammond suggested.

\------  
"There's home-baked raspberry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert." Hammond announced, smiling a little at the eager faces of the children.

Sam closed her eyes and sniffed. "Smells wonderful."

They put the pies on the large table. There were four big pies, but Daniel and Martouf both looked worriedly at the cakes and then at the number of people around the table. Hammond, his son and daughter in law, his two granddaughters, O'Neill, Teal'c, Sam, Anise/Freya, and Yosuuf/Garshaw...and themselves, of course. Four pies seemed to be far too little!

Hammond noticed their looks and laughed a little.

"Don't worry! There are four more in the kitchen - I saw them. You can eat as _much_ as you want!"

The two boys smiled happily. "Thank you, sir!" They said in unison.

"Just don't eat so much you get a tummy-ache!" O'Neill warned.

"No worries!" Daniel scoffed. He turned to Martouf. "I bet I can eat more pie than you can!"

"No you can't!" Martouf said.

"Can too."

"Can't!" He leaned closer, whispering. "Don't forget we're _two_ \- you're just _one_!"

"Like _that_ will matter! Lantash is tiny compared to me!" Daniel hissed.

Martouf bowed his head, giving control to Lantash.

"I'll show you who is tiny!" He said, remembering to not use the voice distortion. "I accept your challenge!"

They quickly ate one large piece of pie each, then one more, and another. They both accepted a fourth piece, but eating went slowly this time.

"Boys!" Tessa said, with disdain. "I'm _so_ happy I don't have any brothers!"

"My tummy hurts!" Daniel whined.

Lantash looked slightly green, though much better than Daniel. Victoriously, he downed the last piece of his pie, then looked at Daniel, daring him to finish his cake. Daniel just shook his head and pushed the plate away.

Relieved, Lantash focused on temporarily raising their metabolism some more, in order to digest the food quickly. He really did not feel very well, but at least his stomach did not hurt like Daniel's obviously did. Martouf was reproaching him for accepting the bait, but Lantash knew very well Martouf had been equally tempted. 

O'Neill looked at them, not feeling sorry for them in the least. "I'm sure our generous host is pleased you like the cake so much. Do you want more?"

Daniel and Lantash both shook their heads, quickly telling him no thank you. The others around the table all snickered a little.


	21. Chapter 21

Next day, they were all feeling well again and when Hammond asked if they wanted to play in his large garden, they happily accepted.

"If you want to help me, you can pick some fruits for me. Will you do that? In return you can eat as much as you want to - just don't spoil your appetites, or my son will be unhappy. He's preparing his special chicken dinner for tonight!"

"Of course, we'll help!" Sam said eagerly. "How much do you want us to pick? What kind?" She looked hungrily at the ripe plums on the tree nearby.

"A little of each." Hammond went to a small shed and pulled out some buckets. "Perhaps one bucket of apricots and one of plums - and I think there's already some ripe pears." He handed them the buckets. "Could you check if there's any raspberries left? I have a kind that ripens late, so there should be some."

"We'll be happy to help!" Martouf said, looking eagerly towards all the fruit.

"Where can we find a ladder? I think the best fruit is at the top." Anise said, studying the trees.

"Nope. No climbing. Can't have you falling down and hurting yourself. Jacob would kill me, you know." He smiled at them. "Just pick the ones you can reach - there should be more than enough anyway."

"May we eat the raspberries too?" Garshaw wanted to know. "You only mentioned fruit, not berries." She looked hopefully at Hammond.

"Technically, berries are also fruit." Sam said, proud that she knew this.

Hammond laughed. "You can eat all the raspberries you want." He smiled at them. "I never pick most of the fruit. My son and his family usually takes some, but most of it end up being eaten by the birds, so I'll be happy if you eat as much as you want to." He turned to leave to go inside, then remembered something. "The apples are a late type, so they won't be ripe for another month or so. Don't eat those, or you'll probably get a bad stomach-ache - oh, and go easy on the plums, unless you want to spend the evening in the bathroom!"

"Okay." They chorused. "Promise!"

Hammond went inside and the children eagerly grabbed the buckets and began to pick the fruits and berries Hammond had asked them to get for him. There really was a lot of fruit on the trees and it did not take them long before they had filled the buckets for Hammond - even if they had eaten their fill while doing so.

"Daniel! Hammond said the apples weren't ripe." Sam yelled. "Why are you eating them anyway?"

"I like the taste of green apples." Daniel said, taking another bite and munching on it.

"Hammond will be angry - and so will O'Neill." Lantash said. "And _you_ will get a stomach-ache - wasn't it bad enough yesterday?"

"You're just afraid to eat'em because Hammond said so!" Daniel challenged. "Come on, take a bite!"

"No - I'm just not feeling _stupid_." Lantash said, angrily.

"Sissy!" Daniel stuck his tongue out.

"I'll get you for that!" Lantash was about to hit Daniel, when Sam quickly jumped in between them.

"Okay, no stupid macho-displays today, please?"

Lantash controlled himself with difficulty. "As you wish." He glared angrily at Daniel.

Anise hurried there as well, wishing to protect Daniel.

"No fighting. Jack _said_ so." She argued.

Daniel and Lantash looked at each other for a few moments, then both nodded.

"Sorry." Daniel was suddenly bashful. "I didn't mean to bug you. I was just unhappy about yesterday."

"I understand." Lantash said. "I'm sorry I wanted to hit you. I'm glad I didn't."

Daniel winced. "My tummy hurts again." He looked misearable.

\-----  
"Why the _hell_ did you eat them if they weren't ripe? Couldn't you _tell_ they weren't ripe? _Sour_?" O'Neill said angrily, looking at the now crying Daniel.

"I like the taste." Daniel sobbed.

"You _like_ it? That's your excuse?" O'Neill looked incredulous. "What about yesterday then? You just felt like stuffing yourself?"

"Jack..." Hammond warned. He pulled O'Neill aside.

"Sometimes I feel like killing Daniel!" O'Neill grumbled.

"Surely, you don't mean that!"

He took a deep breath. "No...I don't mean that. I just don't know _what_ to do. Why is it _always_ Daniel that gets in to trouble?" 

"I admit he _does_ have a tendency to not always think things through - and to act before he really understands the consequences, but I think he's learned his lesson now."

O'Neill looked towards Daniel who was still crying, the other children standing around him and trying to comfort him. "I better go talk to him."

"Do you hate me?" Daniel wanted to know as soon as O'Neill kneeled beside him.

"No, Daniel." O'Neill took a deep breath. "No, I don't hate you, but _why_ does it always have to be _you_ who does these things?"

"I don't know. It just happens." Daniel said, still sniffling.

"Okay, but let's try to make it happen less often, what do you say?"

He nodded. "I would like that!" He threw his arms around O'Neill who hugged him back. The other children decided they wanted a hug too and it turned into a big group-hug.

"Looks cute!" Jacob commented, as he wandered into the room. "How does one join?"


	22. Chapter 22

Several months later, the SGC scientists and the Tok'ra scientists had still not been able to solve the problem of reversing the effect of the alien device. They claimed they were getting closer to a solution, though O'Neill was beginning to doubt they would _ever_ succeed.

He thought back to some of the recent 'memorable' moments. The children were a bit better behaved now. Janet thought they were less confused and so better able to fit in. Going through what they had, _must_ be an experience that requires time to adapt.

Personally, in his most cynical moments, he thought they had just tested most of their nefarious plans, though now and then they would get a new idea and something would still happen.

As it had a few weeks ago.

SG-8 had succeeded in capturing one of Anubis's Jaffa and he was being held for interrogation. He had said nothing, and just gone on and on about how the Goa'uld were divine and Anubis was the greatest god and would punish all that stood up against him. Yada, yada.

Somehow, Garshaw had managed to get into the room with his holding cell - and at a time when the guard was away, even. Suddenly, someone had spotted the little girl on the surveillance videos, and O'Neill and a couple guards had run to the room.

There Garshaw was standing, in the middle of the room - holding Mister Fluffy towards the Jaffa and demanding he answered to him! O'Neill would never forget the expression on the face of the Jaffa. Garshaw had been using her voice distortion , of course - and had apparently presented herself as Garshaw of Belote, flashing her eyes for greater effect.

Well, one thing was certain. That Jaffa would _never_ again believe _any_ Goa'uld was a god! O'Neill smirked.

He looked at the clock and decided it was time to check on the children, and then it was off to bed.

\-----  
Knocking on the door, there was at first no answer, then he thought he heard a voice from inside. Worried, he opened the door and hurried inside.

The room was brightly lit, but he could see no one. The television was on, showing end-credits of some movie.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

After a few moments, a face appeared under one of the beds, looking out at him with scared eyes. Sam!

"What's up, Carter?"

"Did anyone - or _anything_ else come in?"

"No, of course not." He began to feel irritated. What was going on _this_ time?

"Good." Freya's face appeared as well. Soon after Daniel, then Martouf, and lastly Yosuuf crawled out from under the bed.

"Okay, would _anyone_ like to explain what is going on?" O'Neill demanded.

"We watched a movie. Some scary sci-fi movie." Daniel explained.

O'Neill sighed. "Did you hack the parental lock on the TV again?"

"Umm..." Sam looked embarrassed.

"There were _nasty_ creatures in it!" Lantash added, quickly looking all around him, making sure no one else was in the room except them. He quickly jumped up on the bed, making sure not to let his legs dangle over the side.

" _Evil_ aliens. Body-snatching parasites." Garshaw said, looking terrified. She crawled up on the bed and sidled up to O'Neill. "Please...tell me no such creatures exist!"

"Eh..." O'Neill looked at her, disbelieving.

A pillow slid to the floor, knocking over a small lamp. It fell with a loud crash. All the children screamed and jumped on the bed O'Neill was sitting on, pressing themselves close to him.

"Please save us!" Anise cried.

O'Neill had no idea what to say. They could not seriously expect him to try and convince them body-snatching parasites did not exist? Seriously? Finally, he just put his arms around as many of them as possible.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you."

\-----  
They had tried contacting the Asgard, and Thor had answered. After hearing what it was they wanted his help with, he told them that it was possible, but not advisable.

While the Asgard _could_ probably grow the children back to adult size, their personalities would be another matter.

When the Asgard made clones and grew them to the desired age, they did not transfer the memories, personalities, feelings...that which _was_ the person...until the body had been grown to the desired age. It was an adult personality transferred to an adult body.

However, in this case, the alien device had transferred memories, knowledge, and feelings faithfully, but for some reason the personalities were those of children. The only thing that would transform them to their adult personalities was time.

This meant, that even if they were grown to adult size, they would still behave like children for another perhaps 10-12 years. In short, they needed to mature naturally.

So the Asgard 'solution' was off and it was back to hoping for the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri scientists to figure out how the alien machine worked.

Great.


	23. Chapter 23

About a week later, Malek surprisingly showed up, together with another Tok'ra scientist. With them were two SGC scientists, working on the problem as well. They claimed they knew how to reverse the effect of the alien device!

"Are you sure it will work?" Hammond asked.

"And more to the point - is it _safe_?" O'Neill demanded.

"Yes to both. We have tested it, and it worked without problems." Malek said.

"What did you test it on?" O'Neill wanted to know.

Malek looked a little uncomfortable. "A cat."

"A _cat_!"

They all gaped at him.

"Shouldn't it have been tested on a person?"

"I have looked at their data, and there is no reason to believe it would not work on a person. Everything looks sound." Janet said. "The cat was first transformed into a kitten, then regrown to adult form. It is fully healthy, albeit a little younger than before."

"That was due to a minor calculation error, which has been fixed." Malek said, with determination.

They discussed it for a lengthy period of time, then decided it was their best chance.

The children were asked, and they all agreed to take the chance.

\-----  
"Since the machine was not meant to work in reverse, we cannot run it at full effect. Thus, we would prefer to reverse the effect on you one at a time." Malek said.

"Okay, sounds reasonable. Who's first?" O'Neill wondered.

"The Tok'ra council has discussed this and it was unanimous - they want Garshaw to be the first, in case our re-wiring destabilises, so not everyone can be reverted to their adult form."

"How do you feel about that, Garshaw? Yosuuf?" Janet asked.

Garshaw actually looked a little uneasy, but swallowed her nervousness and determinedly stepped forward. "I am ready."

O'Neill sighed. "Go on, then." He shared her uneasiness.

Suddenly Garshaw turned around and ran back to the other children, hugging them tightly. After saying goodbye to them, she did the same to Teal'c, Janet, and O'Neill - just in case things did not go well.

\-----  
Everyone else went outside, while and Garshaw/Yosuuf stayed inside. The machine was activated remotely, and they heard the ominous rumbling from months ago, though it sounded different in pitch. It was followed by a strange thump and a crackling noise.

Nervous, the people outside waited a few moments more. When several minutes had passed, Malek, Janet, and a group of scientists and healers went inside to see what had happened. Why did Garshaw not just come out? During the reversal, the cat had not become unconscious like the children had, when they were de-aged, but it might well work differently on humans and symbiotes, than it did on cats.

Malek and the others soon came back out, carrying a larger version of Yosuuf on a stretcher.

"How is she?" O'Neill demanded, nervously hurrying to her. He was followed by an equally concerned Teal'c and the worried children.

"Unconscious, but alive." Malek frowned.

"Is there a problem?" O'Neill looked at Yosuuf and immediately knew it had not gone as expected.

"The device short-circuited before it could complete. As far as we can tell from our scans, she is completely healthy. However, as you can see, she did not age to the point she was at before being de-aged."

"No shit! She looks like a young teen! How old is she?"

"We estimate Yosuuf is approximately fifteen, and Garshaw is around nine." A Tok'ra healer answered.

"Great, just _great_!"

\-----  
Much later that day, O'Neill and Teal'c were called to Hammond's briefing room, to be informed of the results. The scientists had spent the day examining the alien machine, and the doctors and healers had spent it examining Garshaw and Yosuuf.

Just as last time, Garshaw/Yosuuf had been unconscious for a while, followed by a period during which they did not remember anything. They had now regained their memory - both of the time _before_ they were de-aged, and of the time they had been small children.

"What do you have to report?" Hammond asked. "Are Yosuuf and Garshaw all right?"

"Yes, they are perfectly healthy in every way. Their personalities have matured together with their bodies, and they are in every way as if they were fifteen and nine, respectively. Which, of course, they are." The Tok'ra healer said.

"They will have to grow up the rest of the way naturally, though." Janet added.

"You cannot run her through the machine again?" Hammond said.

"We could, if it was still working. However, it did not merely short-circuit as we thought before. We have examined it thoroughly, and there is no way we can get it to work again, short of rebuilding it completely, which we have no idea how to do. There is _some_ chance we may be able to restore the original function, but it will not sustain the reverse function again." Malek said.

"What does that mean?" O'Neill asked, worriedly.

"Samantha Carter, Martouf, Lantash, Daniel Jackson, Anise, and Freya will all have to remain children until they grow up on their own." Malek looked unhappy.

"No reset button? Doctor Fraiser, tell me there is a reset button."

"I'm sorry, Colonel. There isn't." She looked apologetic.

"Come on! You can't mean that! I won't survive taking care of those six for another - what do I know - ten or twelve _years_!" O'Neill exclaimed. "What about you, Yosuuf? Garshaw? Will you be staying here?"

"No, we - Yosuuf and I - we have discussed it and we have decided we are ready to return to our duties among the Tok'ra."

"Won't you have problems with..ah...people not respecting you? I mean, you _do_ look a little young to be a fearsome resistance leader..." He smiled wryly.

Garshaw smiled back. "On your world, perhaps, but it is of less importance among the Tok'ra - while hosts are rarely this young, we are used to not discriminate on the base of age - or race, gender...and any of the other things you seem to discriminate against here on the Tau'ri. _Earth_. At least if your television are to be believed, which I realise it often is not." She smiled wider. "I _have_ learned a lot about you Tau'ri. While I like many things here, some of the things you do simply does not make any sense. No offense meant, O'Neill... _Jack_." She smiled again.

"Well, they often don't to use either, so don't worry about that."

Garshaw nodded, then turned to Hammond.

"General. Thank you very much for the time you have let me stay here. I apologize for some of the things I have done. Like yesterday, when I pushed all the buttons in the elevator as you were trying to get to the mess hall..." She flushed a little.

Hammond smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's been an experience, and for the most part a good one. Hell, it's been _great_ having you here!"

After talking to Hammond, she turned to Janet.

"Doctor Fraiser...Janet. Thank you for all the times you have been looking after me and the others. I must apologize for causing...trouble, now and then."

"Like when you 'borrowed' a whole jar of cookies from my office?" Janet said, a glint in her eyes.

"Yes, like that." Garshaw nodded, then gave control to Yosuuf. "Sorry about that - and thank you from me as well." She gave Janet a hug before going back to O'Neill.

"O'Neill..." She gave him a wide smile. "Jack! It has been great! Thank you for taking care of us, and for usually not getting angry - unless we had a food fight in the mess hall...and I think you took that pretty well!"

"I'll miss you - but I won't miss things like that!" He gave her a warm hug. "Take care - and don't forget to visit."

"I will - and I have already promised Samantha and the others that I will come back and spend time with them now and then."

Yosuuf and Garshaw turned to leave. O'Neill watched her walk up the ramp to the open Stargate, together with the other Tok'ra. She was carrying a large bag with a number of things she had chosen to bring back with her.

He suddenly smiled when he saw a thatch of white plush stick out. She had decided to bring Mister Fluffy with her to the tunnels! He laughed to himself, imagining about how Delek and some of the others would react if she decided to bring the stuffed animal to a council meeting! He found himself hoping she did!


	24. Chapter 24

Christmas was not far away, and Janet had suggested they should have a Christmas party for the children. Teal'c thought it was an interesting idea, since he had never really experienced Christmas before. O'Neill had allowed himself to be convinced as well, though truth be told, he _loved_ the idea.

They did not tell the children anything about it, and answered non-commitantly when Sam or Daniel asked about Christmas.

Janet managed to convince Cassandra to help, despite the fact she really felt she was too old to celebrate Christmas with six-year olds! 

They bought a small tree, as well as ornaments and decorations, gifts for each of the children - and a large bag and Santa suits for Teal'c and Jacob!

The children would certainly get a surprise!

On Christmas Eve, they brought the Christmas tree to the VIP quarter the children were staying in. There was no way they would be able to put it in there and decorate it without them waking up - if nothing else, the Tok'ra had better hearing than humans and would likely hear them.

As it turned out, the children were extremely happy to help decorating the tree - even if it _did_ take much longer than it otherwise would have, and it did not look as 'perfect' and symmetric as it might otherwise have. That did not matter. The children were happy and thought the tree was pretty.

"We also need to hang Christmas stockings for Santa Claus to put small gifts and candy in!" Sam said, running to the drawer and rummaging through it for her largest socks. " _Oh_ , we should have thought to _buy_ some special socks for this!"

"Someone will give us gifts and candy in socks?" Freya inquired.

"Yes, don't you remember what I told you about Santa Claus?" Daniel said, eagerly. "We also need milk and cookies for him - and something for his reindeer so he won't be angry with us!"

He excitedly began explaining everything around Christmas and Santa Claus to Freya/Anise and Martouf/Lantash. They listened attentively, clearly very interested in this information. Now and then Sam would jump in with comments when she disagreed with Daniel, and the Tok'ra would ask questions, but eventually everyone seemed happy.

O'Neill and Janet found they enjoyed listening to the explanation - especially when they noticed Teal'c was paying rapt attention. Perhaps the Jaffa considered putting up a Christmas stocking of his own? O'Neill decided he better check and make sure to throw some candy in it if he did!

\-----  
"Schhh...you have to be quiet." O'Neill whispered to Teal'c, when the Jaffa put down the large bag of gifts, a little less carefully than he could have.

"I am being quiet, O'Neill." Teal'c said. Thankfully in a lower voice than normal.

Janet and Cassandra giggled behind them, and Jacob threw them a stern look. "It goes for you two as well."

"You just both look so funny with those outfits on - and the _beards_!"

After quickly - and silently - stuffing small gifts and candy into the stockings the children had put up, they were about to put the larger gifts under the tree, when one of the children woke up.

"Santa Claus- _es_! Gifts!" Martouf exclaimed happily, sitting up.

The exclamation was loud enough to wake up Sam, Daniel, and Anise. They all stared at the two Santas - who together with O'Neill, Janet, and Cassandra were standing beside the Christmas tree. The latter three were wearing normal clothing, except for Santa hats.

"Merry Christmas!" Selmak said, acknowledging there was no way the children would go to sleep again until they had gotten their gifts.

"Hohoho..." Teal'c said, remembering the movie he had watched last night, in preparition of this role.

Janet snorted as she tried to contain the laugh, while Cassandra and O'Neill did not even try. They laughed out loud at the oddness of a Tok'ra Santa Claus - and especially a Jaffa Santa Claus, Teal'c in particular, with his often stoic appearance and behaviour.

"Merry Christmas!" The children chorused. They all started climbing out of bed. "Can we have gifts now?"

"Merry Christmas." O'Neill said, when he could for laughter. "Have you seen who's here with us?"

He indicated Garshaw, who stepped out from the other side of the tree where she had been admiring some of the decorations. She was seriously considering suggesting this to the rest of the Tok'ra Council when she came back. It would certainly cheer up the tunnels! 

"Hello, Martouf, Lantash, Samantha, Anise, Freya, Daniel!"

"Garshaw! Yosuuf!" Sam ran to her, throwing her arms around her. Garshaw picked her up.

"Samantha...I have missed you." She smiled at the others. "All of you!"

The other children jumped on her as well, and she happily hugged each of them, then Yosuuf did the same.

Sam hurried to Selmak afterwards.

"Are you really Santa Claus? You look _exactly_ like Dad...and Selmak." She sounded very suspicious.

"Yes, I am Santa Claus - and so is he." She pointed at Teal'c. "These are our helpers."

"O'Neill, Janet, Cassandra, and Garshaw are elves?" Daniel asked. He tried to peek into the large bag Selmak was currently holding. It was full of wrapped gifts.

"Yes, we're...on temporary assignment." O'Neill said.

Garshaw pulled the small children aside for a moment. "I think you should pretend not to know who they are - just let them believe you have been fooled into thinking Teal'c and Jacob and Selmak are actually these Santa Clauses. You'll get more gifts that way!" She whispered.

The children all nodded, more than willing to pretend.

\-----  
Martouf tried to sneak up from behind Selmak's back, and his hand was on its way into the bag when she quickly turned, having long since sensed the energy signature from Lantash.

"Aha! A naughty kid!"

"Oh! No no no! I'm not naughty!" Martouf said, suddenly worried as he remembered what Daniel had told them yesterday, about only nice kids getting presents.

"Well, we'll see about that." Jacob said, having been given control by Selmak. "Elf-Jack, do you have the list of naughty and nice children? I would like to consult it to see who are getting gifts here."

"Yes, just a moment..." He pretended to go through several pockets, looking for his list, while the children anxiously waited.

"If he doesn't find it, we'll get the benefit of the doubt, right?" Anise whispered to Daniel.

"We _ought_ to..."

"Ah, _here_ it is!"

"What does it say, O'Neill?" Teal'c inquired.

"Is it true you live on the North Pole, Santa?" Freya asked. She had seen a program on TV a few days before, so she knew it was a very cold place. She could not fathom why anyone would willingly want to stay in such a place, but perhaps it was for strategic reasons. Was he hiding from the Goa'uld, maybe?

"You know, you look a _lot_ like Teal'c!" Daniel said.

"I am Santa Teal'c - and I am from Chulak." He looked at O'Neill who shook his head and then rolled his eyes at him. "A place on the Nortern Pole." He added, confidently.

"Chel' _nok_!" Lantash said, awed.

"I see there are several children here who have been nice - actually, _all_ here are on the nice list!" O'Neill smiled at the children's obvious relief.

Jacob picked up one packet. "I have a gift here for 'Anise' - is there anyone here with that name?"

"Me! Me!" Anise squealed. Jacob gave her the packet and she immediately began tearing off the paper.

Teal'c took a packet from his bag and looked at the small label on it. "This one is for Martouf."

\-----  
"Cool." O'Neill finished unwrapping his gift. "First season of 'the Simpsons'. That's a _great_ gift!" He smiled happily. "How did you _get_ this - and the gifts you found for the others? I mean, how did you even pay for them?" He suddenly got worried. "You _did_ pay for them, didn't you?"

"Of course! Sam and I are both still getting paid by Stargate Command." Daniel said.

"Yeah, we found out about it a few weeks ago - and it's not like we use a lot of money right now, so we have _plenty_." Sam added.

O'Neill laughed. "So they couldn't figure out how to register you in their database, probably. Okay - their loss! How did you get to do the _actual_ buying? Someone helped you?"

"Nope!" Martouf said. "Internet! We used Samantha's computer."

"Internet? I thought they had put some kind of block on your room so you couldn't use that?" O'Neill suddenly looked worried.

"Oh, they did. We hacked it!" Sam said.

"It was easy." Anise added, proudly.

"Perhaps we should discuss this further..." Jacob said, joining the conversation.

"We _definitively_ should..." O'Neill said.

"...but not now. We've got a Christmas dinner to prepare. Turkey and Christmas pudding!" Janet reminded them.

"Turkey!" Martouf said happily.

"Pudding!" Sam smiled.  
"Can I have eggnog?" Daniel asked, hopefully.

"No, Daniel!" Jacob, Janet, and O'Neill said at the same time.

"But there will be rum in the pudding, right?" He inquired. "Right? Please?"

They just smiled at him. "Let's go prepare the dinner!"

  
MERRY CHRISTMAS!/HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 


End file.
